Rangers are a 'different animal' under Steven Gerrard, says Kris Boyd
The former Ibrox hitman believes his old club have turned a corner under their new boss
Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd believes Rangers are a "different animal'' under Steven Gerrard.
Boyd scored winners against Rangers teams under both Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty last season and Killie also took points off Mark Warburton's side the season before.
But Boyd admits facing his former club in the Betfred Cup on Sunday will be a major test for his side.
Gerrard's team have taken four points from two Ladbrokes Premiership games despite going down to 10 men in each, and are unbeaten in five Europa League games ahead of Thursday's clash in Maribor.
"They seem to have turned the corner,'' said Boyd, who was this week awarded a Kilmarnock testimonial.
"Under Steven Gerrard they are a different animal to what they have been in the last couple of years. You can see there is a grit and determination, and organisation there. They want to win games of football and they will go to any lengths to do it, which is really important.
"The guys they have brought in seem to have settled quickly.
"We competed well last season and this is our first real test this year, no disrespect to St Johnstone and Livingston. We did well against Rangers last season but that's history.''
Boyd likened Gerrard's impact at Ibrox to Steve Clarke's effect on his team last season.
"Rangers have shown they can compete, when you consider they were down to 10 men at Aberdeen and totally dominated,'' Boyd said.
"They go to European games on Thursday and having to do it again on a Sunday can be difficult. But there's an optimism that Rangers can win games of football again, and that's very, very important.
"Sometimes when you go into a new club you want to implement your new style but the one thing Steven Gerrard has done is see where Rangers were struggling last season defensively and he has organised that, which has allowed the team to build from there.
"It's a bit similar to what happened with us last year. We knew if we had a solid base we could get at teams further up the pitch, and Rangers have done exactly the same. They are organised at the back, they are hard to break down, and if you are solid at the back then you can win games of football.'