Rangers boss Beale keen to develop new ideas during break

Michael Beale will continue the quest for improvement at Rangers during the international break.

The Light Blues won 4-2 against Motherwell at Fir Park on Saturday to add further sheen to the Gers manager’s impressive record since he took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November.

Goals from James Tavernier, Fashion Sakala, Todd Cantwell and Malik Tillman secured the points, with Kevin van Veen and Bevis Mugabi replying for the home side who had Callum Slattery sent off in the 76th minute.

Beale has lost only one game – the Viaplay Cup final to Celtic – in 19 matches in the Ibrox hotseat, although there remains a nine-point gap behind the Hoops at the top of the cinch Premiership.

Rangers still have a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at the end of next month and while domestic fixtures take a break, the former QPR boss will work towards a strong end to the season and beyond.

He said: “We’ve got a few going away on international duty and we’ll let the players have a few days with their families.

“Then we’ll be back training because we’re working on one or two new things – you saw at the end of the game we’re trying something different at the back to get more players up the pitch.

“We’ll continue to work because we have nine league games and a very important cup game when we get back.

“That will be our focus but it gives me time to sit down with one or two and give them a bit of feedback.”

Captain Tavernier took his goal tally at Rangers to 98 with a curling free-kick which evaded Well keeper Liam Kelly.

Closing in on the century of goals since signing from Wigan in 2105, the right-back told RangersTV: “It is obviously something I have my eyes on.

“I should have got another but hopefully it comes soon.”

Stuart Kettlewell suffered his first defeat as Motherwell boss since taking over, initially as caretaker, from Steven Hammell last month but he said: “We don’t come away from this feeling sorry for ourselves but we also don’t want to come out as glorious losers.

“We’re not happy that we got close and scored two goals against one of the top teams in the country.

“We have to be hurting about the aspects that we could be better at.

“But it shouldn’t derail what we do for the rest of the season.”