FORMER Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander has backed his old team-mate Allan McGregor to put the error he made in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Hearts behind him and get back to his best for Steven Gerrard.
The Premiership champions faced the Edinburgh club in a top-of-the-table clash at Ibrox at the weekend, and were leading 1-0 until Craig Halkett's stoppage-time equaliser ensured a share of the spoils.
McGregor tried to punch a Hearts corner clear in injury time but connected poorly with the ball, leaving Halkett with an empty net to steer the ball into and extend the Jambos' unbeaten run in the league.
It was an uncharacteristic error from the Rangers No.1, and Alexander is certain that the mistake is little more than a blip in the grand scheme of things.
"Allan is usually a seven or eight out of ten player every single week and a number of times in recent years he has got Rangers out of jail with a save," Alexander told the Scottish Sun. "He has had a fantastic few seasons since he has come back and he doesn’t often make mistakes.
"You can make five or six saves in a game but if you make an error then everyone talks about the mistake, so it is a tough position to play.
"Allan is a perfectionist and he doesn’t like to make mistakes, especially when it leads to a goal. He will know he should have dealt with it a bit better and he won’t need anyone else to tell him that.
"But he’s been phenomenal for Rangers and these things happen as a goalie. He will bounce back from it and brush it off before Thursday night’s game [against Brondby].
"Sometimes mistakes keep you on your toes and it helps you not get complacent. You can sometimes think, ‘I won’t make a mistake, I will make saves and it feels too easy’. But making an error can give you a kick up the backside to keep you focused.
"He’s a top keeper and he will be fine, he will dust himself down and get himself ready for Thursday.
“I don’t think Steven Gerrard will have any worries over Allan. All goalkeepers make mistakes, we all do it. You don’t mean to, but it does happen.
"A goalie as consistent and brilliant as he has been — people are talking about it, but it very rarely happens. It’s not a big thing, he will move on.
"The thing is it is not just the goalie people should look at. Could someone have got to the ball before Craig Halkett? Could someone have cleared it?Someone could have got Allan out of jail, just like he has the rest of the team.
"Potentially the changing of keeper could have an impact. You want to play regularly, especially after pre-season, you don’t feel match fit until five or six consecutive games into the season. That’s when you have your eye in and your sharpness, angles and positioning.
"Allan has been in and out a bit this season along with Jon McLaughlin. That’s not easy and it is tough to get some momentum built up. At the age he is he will want to play as many games as he can.
"But Allan is so strong mentally that he won’t be impacted by what happened. He has saved Rangers so many times over his two spells, so I am sure Steven will allow him one mistake."
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