Steven Gerrard insists Rangers will do their talking on the pitch after Osijek midfielder Robert Mudrazija claimed his team were “better, stronger, more skilful and better organised” than the Ibrox side despite losing 1-0 in their Europa League second qualifying round first-leg tie last week.

Mudrazija also branded Gerrard a “tiny man” but the Rangers manager showed no sign of being ruffled as he refused to become embroiled in a war of words when he spoke to the media ahead of Thursday’s return leg in Glasgow.

“Reading between the lines I think the opposition are very confident,” said the former Liverpool captain. “I don’t think they have had many positive words to say about us. But we can’t control what they say and how they are feeling about the position they are in. My focus is on how my squad feels. Does their comments give us any extra motivation? Not really. My job is to prepare my team and my players.

“We will always respectful to opponents both individually and collectively here at Rangers and we will go do what we’re capable of doing. We can’t control what comes out of opposition camps.”

Rangers lead thanks to Alfredo Morelos’s close-range header at the City Garden Stadium in Croatia but Gerrard wants his team to forget about their first-leg advantage. He said: “We’re confident, we can’t wait for the game. We’re looking forward to a special atmosphere.