Glasgow Rangers defender Connor Goldson has played an instrumental part in Steven Gerrard's side's sensational start to the season.

Rangers are currently nine points clear of their arch-rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership, having conceded just three goals in the league so far.

The Gers are on course to regain the title for the first time since the 2010/11 season after humiliating Hamilton Academical at home in a 8-0 victory before the international break.

What's the word?

Goldson was named Player of the Month for October last week after his heroics in the first Old Firm derby of the season. He bagged a brace as the Light Blues cruised to a comfortable win over Celtic away at Parkhead.

Speaking to The Herald, the defensive stalwart insisted that he is ready to shoulder the responsibility of playing regularly to assist Rangers in their pursuit of silverware this season.

He said: "I am in the prime of my career, I feel strong physically and mentally and I am going into games feeling in a good place, which is always good.

"That is reflective of the team as well, not just myself. As a team, we feel in a good place and long may that continue."

However, the club are concerned that he could run his contract down in 2022 if they don't give him a new deal. So, Rangers chief Ross Wilson must give him a bumper new deal to ward off any potential suitors.

Wake up Wilson!

As regular readers of this column will no doubt be aware, we think that Goldson is the real deal.

The Ibrox boss was hit by a devastating injury blow before the start of the season after Nikola Katic suffered an injury during pre-season training, which has forced him to spend a spell on the sidelines for several months. The Croatian centre-back had established himself as a key player at the back, but Gerrard was forced to bring in Leon Balogun as injury cover in the summer transfer window.

As luck would have it, it has all worked out rather well in the end, as Balogun has turned out to be an absolute bargain, whilst Goldson has stepped up in Katic's long-term absence. The 27-year-old has been a mainstay in Gerrard's side so far this season, having already played 14 games in the Scottish Premiership, scoring two goals, whilst he is averaging 1.1 tackles and 2.9 clearances per game, via WhoScored. By comparison, even Katic could only manage 19 league games in the entirety of last season.

Whilst Katic has shown promising signs of recovery in recent weeks, he may have a hard time breaking into the starting line-up when he has worked his way back to fitness as Goldson has been in such fine form.

He was recently described as a "standout" performer by former Leeds and Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan, who told Football Insider that “he has been one of their standout performers this season, getting the goals in the Old Firm, it has shown Steven Gerrard that he is worthy of a bumper contract", whilst Gerrard once singled him out for praise, calling him "extremely consistent."

Keeping clean sheets is one thing, but scoring goals when it counts shows that Goldson is a useful attacking asset as well, which is exactly why the Gers must keep him at all costs.

Now he just needs to start turning these individual accolades into trophies, which won't be an easy task. We don't quite understand why it's taking Wilson so long to sort out a new deal for him, as one thing's for sure, he won't be short of potential suitors, as Premier League sides like Everton, Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United have all been credited with an interest in him in the past.

AND in other news, Barry Ferguson 2.0: one Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo is becoming undroppable for Steven Gerrard...