A shocking defeat against St. Mirren knocked Rangers out of the League Cup quarterfinals less than a fortnight ago. The Gers, therefore, would be upbeat to seek revenge on Wednesday afternoon and conclude the year in style defeating the Buddies at their own backyard. Steven Gerrard’s men would host bitter rivals Celtic on New Year’s eve and the game this midweek would be crucial in terms of maintaining supremacy at the top of the Premiership standings.
The Bears hold enough depth across the pitch and the gaffer has dealt well with fitness concerns in spite of the fixture congestion. He, so far, has rotated his options with the utmost expertise, but the contest against Jim Goodwin’s men won’t be a stroll in the park. We are expecting the strongest possible lineup from the Ibrox chief to avoid yet another setback.
4-3-3 Rangers Predicted Lineup to Face St. Mirren
Defence
Although the manager has rotated Jon McLaughlin and Allan McGregor between the sticks, the latter should still get the nod considering his experience of the highest order.
Leon Balogun returned to action against Hibernian and the Nigerian should retain his place alongside ever-present Connor Goldson in the heart of the backline. Borna Barisic has been impressive with his work rate from the left-back slot, whereas skipper James Tavernier would occupy the right-back role even though he is making the headlines for leading the scorers’ list.
Midfield
Rangers have a couple of key injury absentees in the middle of the park. A fresh setback has extended Ryan Jack’s spell on the treatment table and the Hibs tie witnessed Scott Arfield leaving the pitch minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute replacing Ianis Hagi. Bongani Zungu has shown his composure in limited minutes, but the Bears’ boss must rely on veteran Steven Davis for his vision and artistry. Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara have been utilized extensively for their high work ethics, creative spark as well as passing and pressing attributes all around the midfield.
Attack
The Scottish giants got plenty of options high up the pitch. The likes of Alfredo Morelos, Cedric Itten, Jermain Defoe and Brandon Barker have had their moments in previous weeks, but the impact Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe had against Hibs last weekend should be enough for them to retain their place in the attacking third. Ryan Kent is irreplaceable for his pace, power and directness while operating from the left-hand flank.
