Rangers might have little hope left in the Premiership race, but their season is far from over, considering their exquisite European run and Old Firm supremacy over the past two meetings. Barry Ferguson must demand a strong finish from his men and, therefore, aim for all three points against Dundee upon returning to action on Saturday evening.
The Dee are battling for survival after a run of dismal results. However, a derby win at Tannadice before the international break must boost their confidence before hosting the Glasgow giants. Although the Gers won both the Ibrox fixtures earlier this season, their most recent meeting finished 1-1 at Dens Park. They came back from behind thanks to a Vaclav Cerny equalizer, and the rejuvenated Dark Blues seem desperate to script a bigger upset in their own backyard.
Predicted 3-4-2-1 Rangers Lineup To Face Dundee
Defence
Jack Butland had an eventful afternoon at Parkhead as his assist led to Hamza Igamane’s stellar winner. However, the Englishman has not claimed a clean sheet since February, and a strong performance against Tony Docherty could restore stability between the sticks ahead of the busy April schedule.
Ferguson, who has switched to a ‘back three’, has reshuffled his options in the defensive third. While the likes of Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala and Rafael Fernandes are waiting on the wings for starting spots, skipper James Tavernier, veteran Leon Balogun and John Souttar should start again in deep defence as the Light Blues have rarely had a stable backline all season. 36-year-old Balogun’s minutes must be managed carefully by rotating him with Propper.
Midfield
Nicolas Raskin was the standout Rangers star as he not only found the net in the early minutes but also set it up for Mohamed Diomande to grab a 2-0 lead at Celtic Park. Having impressed on his Belgium debut against Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League relegation play-off tie, the midfield maestro must replicate a similar show in the centre of the pitch. Connor Barron’s return has allowed him to carry the ball forward and operate in the advanced areas with down-the-middle runs. Jefte missed the Hoops tie due to personal reasons, but the Brazilian left wingback is expected to be available again this weekend. Dujon Sterling made an impact with his physicality, pace, overlapping runs and defensive prowess, and the gaffer could stick with the Englishman over Ridvan Yilmaz despite the Turkish ace’s influence as a makeshift right wingback.
The advanced midfield role suits Diomande’s style of play. The Ivorian should feature from the left ahead of Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence, Danilo or Nedim Bajrami. High-flying Cerny is irreplaceable from the right, as the set-up at Rangers is tailor-made for the Czech wideman.
Attack
Although Igamane’s wonder goal earned the Gers a famous win at Parkhead, the Moroccan striking sensation could once again feature from the bench. Cyriel Dessers might keep his place high up the pitch given his poaching and finishing traits as a traditional ‘number 9’.
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