NATHAN Patterson last night revealed he had produced his match-winning display for Scotland against Moldova after blanking out any thoughts about Steven Gerrard’s departure from Rangers.

Patterson scored the opening goal – his first in international football – in the first-half of the Group F qualifier in the Zimbru Stadium in Chisinau.

And the right wing back set up Che Adams for the second-half strike that secured a vital triumph which sent the national team through to the Qatar 2022 play-offs in March.

Patterson learned that Liverpool and England great Gerrard had left Ibrox for Aston Villa during a training camp in Spain earlier this week.

However, the 20-year-old defender, who was winning his sixth cap, concentrated on performing as well as he could for his country and played superbly. 

“It’s just football, it’s how it works,” he said when asked for his opinion on his manager leaving Govan. “Things change and you just need to get on with it.

“To be honest, I’ve just focussed on doing my best for Scotland and getting this result. Once I’m back at the club it’ll just be about getting my head down and working hard for whoever comes in next.

“You just have to take it in your stride. It’s the way I’ve tried to be from the start of my career and it’s paid off for me, so I won’t change. To be honest, I haven’t even really spoken to many people about it. This week’s just been all about Scotland.”

Clarke hasn’t started a match for Rangers since coming on and setting up Lyndon Dykes for a late winner in the Qatar 2022 qualifier against the Faroe Islands in Torshavn last month.

He was pleased he could justify the faith that Scotland manager Steve Clark has shown in him with a goal and an assist.

“The gaffer had belief in me by sticking me in from the start and I’m glad I was able to repay him,” he said.  

“It’s just great to be a part of what’s happening with this squad and hope I can be for a long time to come now.

“The one disappointment is that the booking I got means I’m suspended for Monday night, because that have been a special game to play in. When you’re a defender, it’s a tough rule that you can only get two bookings, but it’s just the way it is.

“Hopefully the boys will give the fans a great performance and result and we can kick on from there.”

Patterson added: “It’s fantastic to get the win and to be in the play-offs. Everyone’s buzzing, you couldn’t hear yourself think in that dressing room.

“We started really well, then we fell off it a bit. We didn’t keep the ball well enough and lost too many second balls. But we got through it, which is all that matters.

“We knew if we scored the first goal we’d be able to go on and kill the game and to be the one who scored it was a great feeling. Wee John (McGinn) and I linked up well and once I had a sight of goal it was about keeping my composure.

“It’s weird with VAR now at a goal, you’re celebrating and then you have to stop and wait to find out if it’s going to stand. When it was given I think I just let out a really big sigh of relief.

“Then at the second goal me and John worked it together again and Che was in the middle to stick it away. Once we got that one, it properly killed the game off.”