STEVEN GERRARD admitted he was jealous of Ryan Jack’s midfield masterclass as Rangers booked their place in the Europa League third qualifying round.

The 26-year-old turned in a superb performance at Ibrox to help the Light Blues to a 2-1 aggregate win over NK Osijek.

A late Borna Berisic strike cancelled out Nikola Katic’s second half header but wasn’t enough to deny Gerrard’s side a meeting with Maribor next week.

And the 38-year-old was delighted with the maturity and professionalism from the Gers as they turned in their finest showing of the campaign so far.

Gerrard said: “It was one of the pleasing things. We are going to have moments when it’s a bit turbulent and backs against the wall.

“But that’s the reason we brought in leaders and characters like Allan McGregor. When you need him to be big, he’s big. We brought in two centre halves who have been outstanding.

“As a midfielder, I was jealous of Ryan Jack’s performance tonight. It was stunning.

“Now people are feeling us, they know we are not a soft touch.

“Not many teams will come here as good as them. So we have passed two very good tests in the past seven days, considering the time we have been together and the changes made. I’m very happy.

“I had watched Ryan from the outside. But it’s not until you get close up to these players that you see what they are about and how hungry they are, how they live their lives.

“I think I have got a good type on my hands there. He is player who cares, who wants to win and is prepared to go out on the pitch and do exactly what you have asked of him.

“I think he made one minor mistake there in 90 minutes in a big football match. This is a kid who missed six months at the back end of last season. I am delighted with Ryan’s performance.”

Rangers went into the second leg at Ibrox with one foot in the third round after Alfredo Morelos earned them a 1-0 win at the Stadion Gradski last week.

A number of Osijek players, and boss Zoran Zekic, had expressed their confidence that they could overturn the deficit in the build-up to the return in Glasgow.

But Gerrard reckons the cocky Croatians only served to inspire his side as the Gers kept up the momentum ahead of the Premiership curtain-raiser with Aberdeen this weekend.

He said: “Talking doesn’t win you football matches, it doesn’t get you results. Sometimes it doesn’t help your players, it just motivates the opposition.

“We thrive on all that kind of talk. We enjoyed it. My players came out and played like men and we did our talking on the pitch.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the players and now it’s all about dusting ourselves down for a big game at the weekend.”