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The former Liverpool captain is in the spotlight of conversation since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on Sunday, and the ex-coach is set to discuss a potential comeback with the team's owners.

The decision-makers at Rangers announced that a "comprehensive, considered hiring process" is now in progress.

Additional names will be reviewed, but if the former Liverpool and England skipper is willing to a return spell at the club, is the job essentially his?

The 45-year-old manager lately mentioned about “remaining goals” in coaching and revealed he has begun contacting potential staff for his coaching team.

In a recent podcast discussion with the former defender, appearing to be filmed prior to Martin's brief tenure ended, Gerrard stated he wanted “to be at a team that's going to challenge to win because I think that fits me more”.

He added: “If the right call arrives, the appropriate team, the right challenge, and I've got my people set, which I will have at some point, I'll take that challenge on because it's in me.”

Performance at Rangers in His First Stint

After gaining knowledge as a youth development coach at Anfield, Gerrard took on his maiden coaching role in the summer of 2018.

During three full campaigns at Ibrox, he secured just one title – however it was a big one.

Following placements of 13 and nine points after Celtic in his initial pair of campaigns, Gerrard led Rangers to their first top-flight title in a decade, which coincidentally prevent their Old Firm rivals an historic 10-in-a-row title.

And he achieved it impressively, with his team unbeaten in the process.

Rangers won all of their domestic games, netted 92 goals and allowed a mere 13.

The drawback was that it came amid of Covid and empty stadiums.

It remains Rangers' only title success since the 2010-11 season.

How Did Gerrard's Derby Record Perform?

In sharp difference to Martin's disappointing experience, Gerrard hit the ground running at Rangers, remaining 12 games unbeaten until his first visit to Parkhead.

In his debut campaign the Old Firm honours were shared, each side securing two home wins, with Rangers having previously defeated Celtic in 2012.

Two losses to Celtic came in the following shortened season, after which Rangers securing a victory in the east end of Glasgow for the first time since 2010.

From then on, Gerrard remained undefeated in Old Firm clashes, winning five additional and tying once.

Rangers came through four rounds of preliminaries to reach the group stage of the European competition in Gerrard's debut season.

In 2019-20, they advanced to the elimination stage of the same competition, being eliminated to the German side in the round of 16, with their run concluding at the same stage the next year.

What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?

Aston Villa made an approach in November 2021, paying £4.5m in fees.

He departed Rangers with a lead clear of Celtic at the top of the table – but their city rivals would recover to prevail by the same margin.

The lure of the Premier League is powerful and it may have been seen as the natural progression on a fairytale comeback to Liverpool at a time when his managerial stock was at its peak.

“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the club is clearly in a stronger position today than it was three-and-a-half years ago,” said at the time Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson.

“We have shared a goal to advance the club, to update our infrastructure and to make the club win again.”

What Was Gerrard's Record at Villa & Al-Ettifaq?

Gerrard failed to complete a full season at Aston Villa.

Up and down performances yielded a mid-table finish at the conclusion of season 2021-22 before a three-goal defeat at Fulham left them 17th in autumn 2022 when he was sacked.

During 2022, he secured just eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.

He moved to Saudi Arabia in summer 2023 when he took over at the Saudi club.

His most recent job lasted 18 months and he moved on with the team placed in 12th in the Saudi Pro League, only five points above the drop zone.

“In summary, I have gained valuable experience, and it's been a beneficial journey for me and for my family,” he remarked in the end of January. “But soccer is uncertain, and at times things don't go the way we hope.”

These post-Ibrox exploits could cause some hesitation and the individual may have doubts over inheriting a underperforming squad, but Gerrard probably has the personality to manage such a high-profile position.

He is the sole Rangers boss to have lifted the championship since the legendary Walter Smith. That experience might well be hard to ignore for an pressured Rangers leadership.