Celtic hero turns Rangers star's cheerleader as he admires ace who's dealt with 'wretched' Ibrox situations

Chris Sutton has become infamous for his veiled criticisms of Rangers players - recently, however, the ex-Celtic man revealed his 'admiration' for Light Blues all-star James Tavernier.

He praised Tavernier's goal scoring ability, noting that he can score many different kinds of goals - from the standard to the spectacular. This season, the Newcastle United academy graduate has scored 14 goals in the Scottish Premiership over the course of 29 appearances - he has also managed to rack up eight assists thus far.

As well as this, the Celtic legend praised Tavernier for his consistency and longevity, noting that he has played under some 'wretched managers' and has experienced 'tough times' during his time at the Ibrox. Moreover, he also believes that he could 'easily play' in the Premier League,

Tavernier has now been at Rangers for nine seasons. During this time, the 32-year-old has made 302 appearances in the league for the Light Blues, scoring 88 goals in total.

What did Chris Sutton say about James Tavernier?

Speaking on the BBC Monday Night Club, Sutton said: "I’ve got a lot of admiration for James Tavernier, I think this is his ninth season at Rangers. The truth is, he’s played under some wretched managers and been through tough times. I think he’s mentally strong.

"If you look at the number and the quality of goals he scores – free kicks, a wonderful volley at the weekend – he’s scored big goals and taken his team to a Europa Cup final. He eventually won a Scottish Premiership. Going forward, he could easily play in the English Premier League. The service he has given Rangers, the quality he has given and the way he’s led them this season, there’s a lot to be admired."