Former Rangers defender Ally Dawson has heaped praise on midfielder Maurice Edu.

The USA international has become a mainstay in the 'Gers line-up this season with impressive performances in a defensive midfield role and his response to the Ibrox boo-boys, who often treat him as scapegoat, has not been lost on Dawson.

"He works very hard and maybe a lot of the fans don't notice it because he is not a flair player who scores a lot of goals," Dawson told Record Sport.

"I've noticed Rangers miss his energy and enthusiasm when he has been out of the team.

"There are not many players capable of covering so much ground so quickly and shutting down the opposition. His qualities lie in the defensive side of things, breaking up play and protecting his back four.

"The more games he plays the more influence he is having on the team - he is now a necessity in the Rangers line-up. He's arguably the best athlete in the SPL for me.

"Every successful team needs an Edu if they want to function properly."

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