Rangers are on the road again this week but this time it’s a shorter journey east and a trip to Tannadice for Steven Gerrard’s side.
The lunchtime kick-off sees the Light Blues look to put the disappointment of Tuesday’s defeat to Malmo behind them and continue their successful start to the season, extending their 40-game unbeaten run in the process.
Gerrard will be glad to have considerably more depth in his squad as the suspended trio of Kemar Roofe, Glen Kamara and Leon Balogun all coming back into he reckoning with all three likely to freshen up the starting XI.
Filip Helander was one of two players – Steven Davis the other – who came out of the Champions League qualifier with his reputation in tact, earning praise from his gaffer in the process, but I would still expect him to be rested ahead of such a big game against his old club.
Joe Aribo has returned to training and he might get some minutes off the bench but the priority for him is Malmo, we lacked our usual balance in midfield and his ability to break up play and link up the attack was sorely missed.
Predicting Rangers line-ups early in the season is a difficult task but this is the XI I’d expect Gerrard to go with:
The biggest area for concern is in attack, and it might be that we look to play the players who will line up against Malmo to allow them time to gel, however, with Alfredo Morelos back training, if he has looked after himself, he is a shoe-in to start on Tuesday hence the reason for the players I have selected.
Ianis Hagi was on the bench in Sweden but obviously wasn’t fit otherwise he would have come on, he’s also missing again today, another example of a late and dangerous tackle costing us an important player, let’s just hope it doesn’t develop into something long term.
Three points is the most immediate concern though and hopefully we can put in a performance that will lift spirits and momentum ahead of our biggest game for a decade.