RANGERS manager Steven Gerrard has called on Premiership clubs to join forces and help their lower league counterparts satisfy coronavirus testing protocols in the Betfred Cup this season.

Alex Dyer this week expressed concerns about Kilmarnock playing Championship, League One and League Two opponents in the competition when it gets underway next month.

But the SPFL revealed on Friday they will have to test their players before matches against top flight opposition - or risk forfeiting games 3-0.

It also emerged that Premiership clubs will pay for lower league clubs to test their players before Challenge Cup games against their colts sides.

Gerrard’s men won’t take part in the group stages of the Betfred Cup, which is scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 6, because they are involved in Europa League qualifying.

However, the former Liverpool and England captain still believes that Rangers and their Premiership rivals should pool their resources to ensure clubs in the lower tiers can satisfy the requirements.

"I think everyone in Scottish football is doing their best to cope and respect the Covid situation,” he said. “We've had a couple of incidents at certain clubs, but everyone in the main is trying to do everything they can to make sure that the game can continue.

“Everyone is desperate to get supporters back in the stadiums and closer to normality as quickly as we can. But the priority has to be safety, a player's health, so part-time teams or teams in the lower leagues who are not tested, that's something that needs to be looked into seriously because it could lead to more problems.

"I also think, and I don't think the club will thank me for this, that the big clubs might need to show some support to the part-time teams or other teams lower down that are not in the same financial position, just so that we can continue to make sure that these competitions progress and finish and carry on.

“That's the only way I can see things progressing they way we all want them to progress - if the top clubs or the ones who are higher up support the ones who are lower down.”

Gerrard continued: “I’m sure there will be a lot of concerns around the testing. I’m sure the governing bodies and the government will be concerned if there are certain teams coming into certain bubbles that haven’t been tested.

“I’m trying to think of the best way to move things forwards and to try and help the teams lower down who aren’t in a position to pay for the testing.”