Former Liverpool player and Celtic manager John Barnes has warned Steven Gerrard that he will be "going in at the deep end" in the Rangers dugout.

Barnes's first job in management was at Parkhead, but his tenure lasted less than a year amid poor performances and a shock Scottish Cup defeat at the hands of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The 54-year-old believes that the former England and Reds captain would be going into the Gers dugout at a difficult time, following a month which has included two heavy defeats to their Old Firm rivals.

"If he wants to manage, it's going in at the deep end," Barnes told Sky Sports News. "And probably at a time when Rangers obviously aren't their strongest.

"It's a little bit different from when I went because as much as Rangers probably financially were stronger than Celtic at that time, Celtic could still compete with them.

"Now, of course, it will take time. But financially they are a long way away, which means they are not going to be able to get the players in the next year or two to necessarily challenge Celtic at this point."

Barnes has also managed the Jamaica national team and Tranmere Rovers.