Rangers return to league action today with a trip to Perth and a game against a St Johnstone side who will have an unfamiliar look to them.
Callum Davidson has lost both Ali McCann and Jason Kerr, two key players in their double cup winning season, as well as our own Glenn Middleton who returned for a season long loan, although a win shouldn’t and won’t be taken for granted by Steven Gerrard.
The gaffer’s squad was nearing full health, however, Ianis Hagi’s positive Covid-19 test result means that he will have to isolate, there might be good news in that there is an outside chance of him being available for the mid-week fixture against Lyon.
Other than the Romanian international, Gerrard has almost a fully fit squad to call upon and this is the team I think he will go with to get a result:
If the game had been at Ibrox I think he would have gone with Juninho Bacuna from the start in midfield but with Joe Aribo being away with Nigeria, it makes sense to start John Lundstram, yes, he has came under a bit of criticism but his last two appearances off the bench suggest that he is finally getting to grips with a different system and the responsibilities that come with it.
The front three that started against Celtic remains our strongest and it should start this game too, Fashion Sakala doesn’t have to be rushed back and, with the fixtures starting to come thick and fast both he and Scott Wright will be needed over the next few weeks.
The back four will be picked depending on the fitness of James Tavernier and Nathan Patterson, however, I’d prefer Filip Helander to start alongside Connor Goldson given the direct nature of the Saints play, there is a chance that Calvin Bassey could come in to allow Borna Barisic time to recover for the Europa League but a decision will be made based on who else is fit to line up in defence.
Three points is all that matters and we have a strong enough squad to get the job done against a team struggling for goals and without, arguably, their two best players from the last few years – anything less is unacceptable.