James Tavernier: More goals than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah - from right back

The Rangers player is among Europe's top scorers this season. Not bad for a defender

Rangers' James Tavernier celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Scottish Premiership match at the Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall. PA

Rangers' manager Steven Gerrard congratulates James Tavernier on the pitch after the UEFA Europa League 1st round Group D match between Rangers and Standard Liege. AFP

James Tavernier scores from the penalty spot. PA

James Tavernier was awarded the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month Award for November. PA

Rangers players (back row L-R) Kemar Roofe, Borna Barisic, Leon Balogun, Connor Goldson and Allan McGregor. (Front row L-R) Alfredo Morelos, James Tavernier, Glen Kamara, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield and Ryan Kent pose for a pre-game photo ahead of the UEFA Europa League 1st round Group D match between Rangers and Standard Liege at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on December 3, 2020. AFP

Rangers Manager Steven Gerrard and captain James Tavernier who have been awarded the Scottish Premiership Manager & Players of the Month Awards for November. PA

James Tavernier (centre) celebrates after scoring their sides second goal during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Ross County and Rangers at Global Energy Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Dingwall, Scotland. Getty Images

Sixteen goals before Christmas - 10 of them in the league, five in Europe and one in the domestic cup.

It's the kind of statistics you would associate with the world's great hotshots, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Erling Haaland.

Even Liverpool's Mohamed Salah can't match that rate this season and he's been in fine form.

But these numbers belong to James Tavernier of Scotland's Glasgow Rangers, and what is particularly remarkable about them is that he isn't even a goal-poaching striker - but is in fact a right full-back.

He also has a dozen assists.

Is this normal service for Tavernier?

While it isn't necessarily normal, the 29-year-old Rangers captain doesn't have a bad record over the years.

Having begun his career at Newcastle United, for whom he made just a couple of appearances, he went out on loan many times to lower English league sides such as Carlisle United and Rotherham United before signing for Wigan Athletic in the 2014-15 season.

It was his move to Scotland that triggered his scoring potential, with 15 in 2015-16, and 17 goals in 2018-19. However, he also experienced seasons where he scored just a couple. Not bad for a £250,000 signing.

Even though nine of his strikes this season have come from the penalty spot, it's still a hugely impressive record with one of his efforts coming against European giants Galatasaray. He is, however, yet to net against rivals Celtic this season.

James Tavernier in action against Liege. Pool via Reuters

What does his manager Steven Gerrard say?

Given his team are 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, Gerrard is rightly chuffed.

"[He] is certainly playing at a very consistent level. I've never seen him at this level game-to-game, and he's got hunger," said Gerrard of his captain after a 4-0 win over Ross County at the weekend.

He likened the flying full-back to some of the great players he played with during his glittering career with Liverpool and England.

“It’s top level stuff. I have played with some fantastic attacking right-backs - Kyle Walker, Glen Johnson, Steve Finnan to name a few.

“Tav is right up there. The way we play really suits James. The pleasing thing for me is he is still contributing to the other side of the game. He’s pressing, he’s really aggressive, he’s winning his duels, stopping crosses.

“Our clean sheet record, to me, is just as important as James’ other numbers. Where he is right now, he needs to bottle it and stay there for as long as he can because he’s in fantastic form.”

Is he top scorer in Europe?

Not quite. His 10 league goals is one behind Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the Premier League. He is matching Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 10 in Serie A for AC Milan, and Haaland's 10 for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, but is two behind Bayern's Robert Lewandowski.

In France's Ligue 1, PSG's Kylian Mbappe also has 10.

Is he matching prolific defenders of the past?

Tavernier still has some way to go when compared to the goalscoring defenders of years gone by.

His career total stands at 70 - quite a way behind Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos who has cleared 125.

They both are nowhere near Dutchman Ronald Koeman who netted more than 250.

Other notable goalscoring defenders include Fernando Hierro (163), Laurent Blanc (153) and current Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce (113), who was effective both from the penalty spot and nodding in set pieces during Manchester United's success in the early to mid 1990s.