As the second place in the Premiership standings is mathematically secured, Rangers have nothing to play for in their three remaining fixtures, including the Sunday lunchtime encounter against Aberdeen at Ibrox. But Barry Ferguson, their interim boss, has demanded a strong finish with no wins in the past six outings across competitions.
This includes a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie when the ten-man Light Blues showed sheer grit and determination to script a second-half comeback. They clinched a comprehensive 3-0 victory earlier this year; however, the Dons’ 2-1 win in October shows how capable Jimmy Thelin’s men are at keeping the Glasgow giants on their toes.
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Rangers Lineup To Face Aberdeen
Defence
Although Jack Butland started as the Gers ‘number 1’, Ferguson has dropped him in favour of Liam Kelly, who is expected to keep his place between the sticks for the remainder of the season.
The gaffer switched to a ‘back four’ from a three-man defence against Celtic. They looked more resolute and composed compared to recent games, even though skipper James Tavernier was heavily criticised for his lacklustre defensive display. Amid season-ending injuries to Ridvan Yilmaz and Dujon Sterling, Ferguson is left with no choice but to rely on the veteran Englishman on the right.
Tavernier could still make a difference with his marauding runs, crosses, scoring ability and set-piece expertise. Left fullback Jefte has been one of the better performers in an otherwise underwhelming campaign, and the return of Leon Balogun has restored some stability in deep defence. Still going strong at the age of 36, the Nigerian centre-half must feature alongside John Souttar over fit-again Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Robin Propper.
Midfield
Connor Barron was solid as a deep-lying playmaker against the Hoops, yet the manager must rotate him with 18-year-old Bailey Rice, who holds a bright future at his boyhood club. Nicolas Raskin is irreplaceable for his leadership traits, creative spark, vision and technical supremacy while carrying the ball from the deep to operate in the advanced areas.
Mohamed Diomande has been a revelation as a midfield attacker with his dribbling and directness. Vaclav Cerny was not happy about being subbed off in the derby showdown, but he must start again from the right, as neither Oscar Cortes nor Ross McCausland has done enough to replace him due to form and fitness reasons. Ianis Hagi is ruled out for the season, leaving Ferguson to choose between Nedim Bajrami and Danilo as the left midfielder. The latter should get the nod, considering Bajrami’s below-par performance against the champions.
Attack
Rangers are highly reliant on Cyriel Dessers high up the pitch for his experience and expertise as an outright ‘number 9’. His poaching and finishing skills would be more decisive than Hamza Igamane’s flair, finesse and flexibility in Ferguson’s formation.
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