Rangers’ 5-5 final game of the season was basically a tribute to Steven Gerrard

A welcome party would seem a little much for a new manager, but Rangers’ 5-5 draw against Hibernian might as well have been a tribute to incoming boss Steven Gerrard.

Dubbed “Hibstanbul” by some, Rangers found themselves 3-0 down against Hibernian during their final league game, much as Liverpool found themselves 3-0 down against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, before coming back to win.

And the similarities didn’t end there. Rangers emulated Gerrard’s Liverpool by levelling the score at 3-3 in no time at all. In fact, they went into half-time level and took the lead just minutes after the restart.

The game ended 5-5 after a late equaliser from the home side, who needed a six-goal winning margin to overtake their opponents, but were pleased with the hard-earned point nonetheless.

That sort of dramatic game will suit Gerrard very nicely, after a playing career which included more than its fair share of absorbing games.

In fact, the 5-5 draw in the Scottish Premiership took place 12 years to the day since the England midfielder scored a 90th minute equaliser to make it 3-3 in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham.

It was meant to be.