Rangers return to Scottish Premiership action this evening with a clash against St Mirren at Ibrox, and Steven Gerrard will be looking for Ryan Kent to put in a dazzling display.
The Gers have reemerged from the winter break somewhat understrength.
The continued absence of Filip Helander isn’t currently a big problem given the form of Nikola Katic, but in Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier, two key men are missing.
Add to that the absence of Greg Stewart, and the manager is short of attacking options.
Jermain Defoe performed extremely well over the first part of the season and is already off the mark in 2020 after his penalty against Stranraer. However, all the pressure shouldn’t be resting on his shoulders.
The Buddies are likely to sit deep from the off and ask Rangers to work hard. It’ll take pace and invention to break them down, and the club’s second-most expensive player of all time, Kent, has both.
In general, when fit, he’s delivered since his Deadline Day transfer from Liverpool.
He has five goals and three assists in all competitions [Transfermarkt] and ended 2019 on a high with a stunning finish in the 2-1 victory over Celtic at Parkhead.
He was rested for the Cup clash against Stranraer and only played a small part in the friendly against Lokomotiv Tashkent in Dubai.
In sum, the 23-year-old should be fresh.
Yet, there’s no room for rustiness.
St Mirren may have a dire record away from home, with just four points from a possible 30 so far this season, but they are no mugs and a slip-up tonight would be disastrous for the Gers.
If the visitors can make it through the first half an hour unscathed, their belief will only grow.
That’s why it’s crucial that the winger works well in tandem with Borna Barisic, takes on defenders and looks to fashion opportunities for both himself and his teammates.
If he does those things, it’ll make three points much easier to secure.
