Rangers take the short trip to Hamilton on Saturday for our third away trip of the season and our second on artificial turf, oh to have a decent TV deal and league sponsor that meant teams could afford grass pitches.
Steven Gerrard informed the assembled media that he will have to make do without Joe Aribo for another week, ankle sprains and the Accies playing surface do not a good combination make, Jermain Defoe is close to a return but this weekend comes a little too soon for the England international.
Leon Balogun is fit and available again but given Filip Helander’s form, and the international break just around the corner he will have to make do with a place on the bench, as will Allan McGregor, who has also trained all week, but given Jon McLaughlin’s form, it would be harsh on the 32-year old who has just been called up to the Scotland squad and could well be in line to start for Steve Clarke’s men.
The biggest revelation from the Gers gaffer was that Alfredo Morelos has trained well all week, being dropped for the win over Kilmarnock has seen a positive reaction, however, with Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten showing early signs of a decent partnership – and the Colombian unlikely to be a round much longer – it would take a brave man to bet on him returning to the starting XI, however, he does make the squad stronger and give Gerrard an option.
Hamilton won’t sit in as much as other teams have done, with Brian Rice often using games against the Old Firm as a free hit, Rangers have yet to concede and with Hamilton not exactly being prolific, the defence could break the club record that they equalised last week for consecutive clean sheets from the opening game.
This is the team that I’d expect Gerrard to go with, having another full week to prepare will have been greatly appreciated as he looks to consolidate their position at the top of the table whilst ignoring the nonsense from across the city.
Should Gerrard leave Morelos out of the squad?
Yes
No
No need to change a winning team, especially when the defence are keeping clean sheets and not even conceding chances, the midfield have had a full week to recover and the forwards played with increasing confidence as the game wore on against Kille – as for predictions, another clean sheet, Itten to get his first goal and one from a set piece to give Rangers a 2-0 win and into the break flying high at the top.