Rangers manager Steven Gerrard should hand a first-ever Premiership start to Nathan Patterson against Livingston on Wednesday evening.
The Gers should be fresh and raring to go ahead of their trip to the Tony Macaroni Arena following a free weekend, while their gigantic lead at the top of the table means that the pressure is well and truly off.
However, the manager does have a few selection headaches ahead of the fixture, not least at right-back.
James Tavernier was back in the gym over the weekend as he steps up rehab on a knee injury, but he’s unlikely to be available until much later in the month.
With one potential deputy in Ryan Jack also injured, the manager is left with Leon Balogun and Nathan Patterson to choose from.
Patterson and teammates Calvin Bassey and Bongani Zungu are expected to be hit with SFA bans later in the week for breaching Covid regulations [Daily Record], but while he’s still available, the young full-back should be playing.
Some won’t have agreed with his involvement in the matchday squad for Thursday night’s Europa League Round of 32 second-leg clash against Royal Antwerp at Ibrox, but his performance after coming on as a substitute at half-time showed exactly what the Gers were missing without a natural right-back in the starting XI.
Balogun had deputised well up until that game but was tortured by Jordan Lukaku in the first period.
Less than a minute after his introduction, Patterson turned the tables and scored, while the hosts were no more vulnerable with him on the park.
The 19-year-old is far from the finished article and given that he’s never started a Premiership fixture before, he will certainly be tested by a physical and fearless Livingston side.
However, he is much more comfortable than Balogun with defending in wide areas and he provides considerably more attacking threat down the flank than his more experienced teammate.
This could well be the last domestic fixture that Patterson is available for this season and for that, he only has himself to blame.
Yet, Gerrard has already spoken of forgiveness regarding the Academy graduate and he’s Rangers’ best option at right-back for what promises to be a tough assignment in West Lothian.
Meanwhile, Rangers remain in Scottish Cup limbo following an SFA update.
