Steven Gerrard described Fashion Sakala as unplayable for spells of their evisceration of Motherwell as the Zambia international striker scored the first hat-trick of his career.
Sakala produced a flashing header, a deflected long-range shot and a sharp close-range finish as Motherwell were torn apart after their Scotland defender Stephen O’Donnell had been sent off. It was Rangers’ biggest win of the season — Gerrard claimed that he sensed such a result was coming — and he singled out Sakala for praise.
The 24-year-old’s only previous goal had also come against Motherwell in September, but the player who signed as a free agent from Oostende in July was a lively, buzzing presence in the Rangers attack. In only his fourth start of the season he made a compelling case to replace Kemar Roofe or Alfredo Morelos as a regular.
“Fashion has been waiting to do that,” said Gerrard. “He’s shown glimpses and flashes. We’ve been waiting for him to settle and to get ready. He’s been away from his family for some time but we’ve seen the difference in him over the last week to 10 days where he’s looking extra sharp, extra hungry. He’s gone and delivered for his team.
“It takes time. He’s got to get used to his team-mates, they’ve got to get used to him. He’s got to get used to the way we play the game, both sides. He’s got to earn that trust on the training pitch. But it just felt different in the last week to ten days. He showed that in his cameo against Aberdeen [on Wednesday night] where he came on and helped us get back in the game.
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“Today at times he was unplayable. He’s got that unpredictability about him and that sheer burning pace. He’s going to cause teams and individuals a lot of problems.”
The huge winning margin lifted Rangers for their trip to face Brondby in the Europa League on Thursday night. “It was really emphatic,” Gerrard said. “We got another setback early on [Motherwell scored first through Bevis Mugabi] but I thought we dealt with that and managed it really well. I think that’s been coming. It’s almost been in the post. We’ve been waiting for that performance for some time.
“I thought it was back to our identity and how we wanted it to look, for sure. At times we haven’t been ourselves. There’s always been an ingredient missing.
“But today is all about the players. They’ve gone out and performed ever so well. There is a saying in life ‘inch perfect’. I thought we were an inch away from being perfect today.”
Sakala paid tribute to his new team-mates for having helped him to settle into life in Scotland. “I would like to thank God for the first hat-trick of my career,” he said. “I have to appreciate the group of players we have in the squad and the great staff that we have. They have been really supportive and they have made things a lot easier for me.
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“Is there more to come from me? Yes I believe there is. I haven’t reached the level I want to get to yet.” He got to keep the match ball for his hat-trick. “I got all the guys to sign it — and I will keep it safe by sleeping with it!”
