Alan Hutton insists Dujon Sterling should not be judged on any attacking metrics - because he is so good defensively.
Despite the summer arrivals of Kosta Nedeljkovic and Ross McCrorie, who can also play right-back, it is the man who was already at the club who has cemented himself as Derek McInnes' first choice.
It means he is the replacement for former club captain James Tavernier as it stands, despite being a very different type of player. Tavernier's output in terms of goals and assists was incredible, while Sterling is more focused on the defensive side of the game.
Hutton feels the Englishman is proving how good he is a one-v-one defender, which should negate any deficiencies higher up the pitch
"He’s been brilliant, but I've always thought that. I've always thought he's had the capabilities to be a top player within Rangers, especially the defensive side of it," the former Ibrox star told the Daily Record.
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"He showed in those two Celtic games his pace, his aggression, his willingness to stand up one-vs-one, it doesn't matter who it is he’s facing.
“The only thing is you ask is maybe in the final third, could he do a little bit better? But are we judging that against the likes of Tavernier and what he brought to this team?
"Today as we stand, I think the Rangers in the front line have got the players which means they now don't necessarily need their right-back to be up there and swinging balls in every two seconds.
“It means Sterling can focus on the defensive side of it, which is good. Nobody can live up to the record Tavernier had at the top end of the pitch. That's like a one-off situation.
"His goals and assists were absolutely phenomenal. Everybody will look at Sterling and they'll judge him against what Tav did. But I think there has to be a balance within it because you have to ask, what do you want as your defender?
“Do you want them to be very good defensively, one-v-one, not giving away opportunities, being solid, which I think Sterling is. Or is it that when he goes forward up the pitch, do you want him being someone who can find a teammate with a cross or stick in the back of the net?
"I'm not going to sit here and judge Sterling on how many goals a season he scores. But keeping him fit is the key thing now.”
