Goal hero Defoe sees new focus from team

Livingston. Defoe admitted the strike was a special way to bring up his triple-century and hopes he can continue to play a part for the Ibrox men as they aim to build on an impressive, 16-game unbeaten start to the campaign. ‘The standard here is high,’ said Defoe. ‘People don’t see what happens around the training ground and I have noticed a different focus. ‘Last season was focused, of course, because you have to be playing for a football club like this. But there is a different sort of focus from the staff, the manager, the players, everyone involved. ‘You need that. If you want to achieve something special, you need that and that is what I can feel at the minute. ‘We are not really looking at the table. Focus on ourselves, take each game as it comes, keep working hard and keep believing that we can improve. We can’t take our foot off the gas and just need to keep it going.’ The former England forward claims he wasn’t thinking about being on 299 goals before his first Premiership strike of a campaign disrupted by a hamstring injury. ‘I actually forgot about it, which is a good thing,’ smiled Defoe. ‘If I was thinking about it during the game, maybe the goal wouldn’t come or you’d snatch at a chance. ‘But when it went in, I was delighted. To score a goal like that. When they reminded me after that it was my 300th goal, I was delighted. I enjoyed it a lot. ‘I spoke to Tav beforehand because I know his range of passing. If I could disguise my run by coming short and then spinning in behind, I knew he had the range. ‘As it came over my shoulder, I felt I had to hit it first time but while staying relaxed through the finish. When I watched it back, it was a good one. ‘My motivation has never changed. I knew that when I got my chance at some stage I had to take it because the team is doing well and we have signed some fantastic players.’ Gerrard (below) and assistant Gary McAllister both stood and applauded Defoe’s goal at the edge of their technical area. ‘We saw another fantastic goal from a player who has had a fantastic career,’ said McAllister afterwards. ‘There are not many players who can do that. He is someone always capable of clever bits of movement and finishing. ‘The fact he is playing at the age he is now is a credit to him. He is in fantastic shape. He’s had a couple of injuries recently but, like Kemar Roofe in Liege, it’s another player coming back into the team and producing. We have four strikers, so it’s very competitive in that area of the pitch.’ McAllister echoed Defoe’s thoughts on remaining singleminded when asked if they had paid heed to the Celtic result pre-match. ‘We try to keep our focus here,’ said McAllister. ‘It’s very difficult to stay away from getting to know the result but we try to keep that away from the players as much as possible. Tunnel vision. Just do your job. The job was to get three points. And we got them.’ Livingston boss Gary Holt took heart from his side’s second-half display. ‘At 2-0 down early in the game, behind the eight ball, it makes it very difficult,’ he said. ‘But credit to the lads, I thought they rolled up their sleeves. They could’ve felt sorry for themselves and came away with a five-goal defeat.’

We can’t take our foot off the gas and just need to keep it going