JOE Aribo believes winning the Betfred Cup this season will bring the Rangers squad even closer together – but has warned his team mates St Mirren will be desperate to end their 27 game unbeaten run.
The Ibrox club are 13 points clear at the top of the Premiership and have qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League for the second season running.
However, playmaker Aribo knows that Steve Gerrard’s side have still not won any silverware and feels that going all the way in the League Cup will be important for them.
The Nigerian, though, is expecting a difficult quarter-final tie at the Simple Digital Arena tonight and knows Rangers will need to be at their very best against opponents who are unbeaten in seven matches.
“I think, as a team together, it would be nice to lift a trophy,” he said. “It will bring a real togetherness and will be something to celebrate. It puts down a marker, is a big statement and it is always nice to win silverware.
“But every single fixture is a difficult game for us and it is a different opponent every single week. We know we have to bring our A Game and to be at our best in order to get the result we want to get.
“Every single team is going to want to beat us when we play against them, but the longer it goes on the more motivated we will be to keep it going and to keep this run going.
“Momentum is a big thing in football and we will just keep working hard and keep putting those extra shifts in.”
Aribo has recovered from the ankle injury that sidelined him for over two months earlier in the 2020/21 campaign and is now featuring regularly for Gerrard’s team.
However, the 24-year-old still doesn’t feel he is performing as well as he did in the opening weeks of the season and is hoping more is to come from him.
“On a personal note, I am happy,” he said. “I am just happy to be back fit, getting my sharpness and getting back to my best.
“I still feel I have a bit to go personally, but I am just happy with how the team is going. I will slowly get there and when I do I will be flying.”
The former Charlton Athletic midfielder believes the intense competition for first team places will help him improve in the weeks ahead.
“It is amazing for the players,” he said. “There is a real drive, especially in training. You can see the drive in training and it is so high.
“Everybody knows there are places up for grabs and that somebody else is after their shirt. You have to be at your best to play and it keeps everybody high and motivated, driving and pushing. It is lovely to see.”
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