Predicting the Rangers line-up for tonight is a tricky task, however, a couple of hints from journalists has made things a little bit easier.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst went with a strong team against Ross County and then made changes before confirming that it will be a different XI that takes to the field tonight.
As we’ve seen before though, there will likely be a mixture of senior and youth players and this is what I think the gaffer will go with:
If he wasn’t suspended, Alfredo Morelos might have been in with a chance of some minutes, especially with the Old Firm derby at the weekend, whether or not he returns for that will be down to Gio and if he thinks that he has done enough in training since being dropped ahead of the PSV Eindhoven Champions League qualifier.
Connor Goldson isn’t the sort of player who wants time off, even ahead of a derby, but if Ridvan Yilmaz, Adam Devine and Leon King are starting, it makes sense for him to keep them on the straight and narrow, hopefully, it isn’t too demanding a night for the Gers vice-captain and Allan McGregor behind him.
Midfield and the forward line should mainly be made up of players who have had some minutes this season other than Robbie Ure, that he was in the squad in Eindhoven suggests he is ahead of Zak Lovelace in the queue despite the 16- year old’s blistering start to his Rangers career and he will be keen to make a positive first impression.
A spine that has Goldson, Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield will add a good balance alongside the youngsters and fringe players, getting the balance and mix of players right will be Gio’s toughest job though and I wouldn’t be surprised if more senior players like Steven Davis, Scott Wright and Glen Kamara are selected.
Queen of the South will be up for it and will be keen to pressure a team that is unfamiliar with each other and this is where the wise old heads need to play their part, we’ve come unstuck in the past when we have rotated too much but, if we can’t see off a team struggling in League 1, then those that start needn’t bother coming back.