Premiership giants Rangers will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run in the league this season when they welcome Hibernian to the Ibrox Stadium this weekend. The clash is set to be Rangers’ first match after Christmas this year, and the more pessimistic of fans within the Gers’ fanbase will be thinking about the shocking downfall that they went through around this time last season. Although something along the same lines cannot be ruled out, considering the manner in which they have been performing this season, it would be quite the surprise if they were to drop off the pace.
Not just that, their Old Firm rivals Celtic are also so far behind them on the league table and thus a couple of dropped points would have next to no impact on their position. The likes of James Tavernier and Kemar Roofe have stepped up to the plate on numerous occasions, and all in all, they have looked a couple of steps ahead of Celtic since the start of the campaign. Their most recent fixture in the league saw Steven Gerrard’s men outclass St. Johnstone by a 3-0 scoreline, where goals from Roofe, Glen Kamara and Ianis Hagi further cemented their position atop the table.
Team News
The Ibrox club don’t have too many injury concerns to be worried about at this point in time, with Ryan Jack the only first-team regular who is unlikely to feature. The likes of Kemar Roofe, Alfredo Morelos and Joe Aribo have all suffered injuries over the course of the season, but the trio is available for selection as well. Leon Balogun made his return to the roster in their midweek win, which means that he should come back into the eleven on the weekend. The only long-term absentee in Gerrard’s roster right now is Nikola Katic, who is yet to play any part this season.
Here Is The Predicted 4-3-3 Rangers Lineup Vs Hibernian:
Predicted 4-3-3 Rangers Lineup Vs Hibernian
Defence
Allan McGregor, despite starting the season on a rotation role, has shown Steven Gerrard that despite his age, he’s capable of producing the good. Jon McLaughlin has since had to play second fiddle to the veteran, and that trend is set to continue into this fixture as well. In front of the keeper, expect to see Leon Balogun returning to the team after his head injury, with Connor Goldson likely to partner him at the back. James Tavernier is set to keep his role as the right-back, with Borna Barisic to be given the nod on the left.
Midfield
With Ryan Jack unavailable for selection, Steven Gerrard has opted to play Steven Davis in that role. Saying that the veteran’s presence has been influential would be a massive understatement, as his performance levels have consistently been sensational. Expect to see Finnish international midfielder Glen Kamara continuing alongside him, as he put up a solid display once again in midweek. Scott Arfield could be drafted back into the eleven for this clash, in place of Nigerian attacker Joe Aribo.
Attack
Ianis Hagi was given a rare start by Steven Gerrard in midweek, and it must be conceded that the Romanian impressed with his performance. Despite this, expect the manager to drop the prodigious youngster, and instead move Kemar Roofe over to the wide role. Alfredo Morelos was only given a substitute appearance against the Saints on Wednesday evening, which means that the Colombian is likely to return to the eleven. One of the few constants in Gerrard’s team this season has been former Liverpool speedster Ryan Kent, and the Englishman is set to keep his place once again.
