Ahead of Saturday’s meeting between the two sides at Ibrox – Rangers going into the 3pm clash top of the table for the first time in 18 months – Clement is striving to strike a balance between keeping the Hearts talisman at arms’ length while ensuring that the home side also go about their usual business.
Lawrence Shankland, who was on Rangers’ radar during the January transfer window per reporter Peter O’Rourke, has 25 goals in all competitions this season.
18 of those have come in the Scottish Premiership. A tally which places him six ahead of Rangers’ own top league goalscorer – penalty specialist James Tavernier – in the Golden Boot race.
Clement, however, has plenty of experience when it comes to setting up his team for success against a prolific attacker. He came up against three of the modern eras very best, after all, while in the Monaco hotseat.
Rangers face Lawrence Shankland’s Hearts
Rangers FC v Livingston FC – Cinch Scottish Premiership
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“(Stopping Shankland) is important because he has scored more than 50 per cent of their goals,” Clement explains. “That is a lot of points if you see all season.
“(But it is important to) not only to be focused on him and forget the rest. Because then there will be other guys who make the difference. We never go into games thinking about one player.
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“I played with my team last year against (Lionel) Messi, Neymar and (Kylian) Mbappe in the same game. But we were not focused on them. We were focused on our way. How we need to play and how we need to stop them but using them also to attack. That worked in a good way.
“It is always my philosophy to be more focused on ourselves.”
Clement stunned PSG last term
Clement’s Monaco took four points off PSG in 2022/23, drawing 1-1 at the Parc des Princes before triumphing 3-1 in the Principality, the lack of defensive endeavour provided by Mbappe, Neymar and Messi allowing Les Monegasques to create a numerical superiority and overwhelm their deep-pocketed opposition in the final third.
It is exactly that kind of tactical insight which explains why Rangers – now in pole position for the title – have been a team so transformed since Clement replaced Mick Beale at Ibrox.
Shankland, with his contract expiring in 2025, is reportedly valued by Hearts at around £3 million. Rangers, meanwhile, have an in-form centre-forward of their own in Cyriel Dessers.
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