Rangers boss Steven Gerrard must give in to fan clamours and start Greg Stewart for the weekend clash against Stranraer.
The League One outfit are set to travel to Ibrox for a 1945 kick-off on Friday evening, and it’s likely the manager is going to mix things up to keep key men fresh and give some fringe players much needed playing time.
Surely, Greg Stewart is one of those players deserving of inclusion in the starting XI.
His last start came way back in October in a 2-1 win over Motherwell at Ibrox, with the player limited to the odd cameo ever since.
After he netted a brace off the bench against Hearts on 1st December, fans demanded he receive more opportunities during the following fixtures. Yet, no significant opportunities materialised.
He was even left out of the squad altogether for the trip to Parkhead before the winter break.
At the weekend, the 29-year-old played the second 45 minutes of the friendly fixture against Lokomotiv Tashkent.
He impressed again on the day, scoring a penalty and rounding off the scoring with a well-taken second.
Once again, fans called for him to receive more opportunities.
It must be said at this point, that the excellent form of Joe Aribo in the attacking right berth in the lead up to the winter break didn’t help Stewart’s cause.
The Nigeria international was one of the standout performers last month.
However, there’s a general consensus that the ex-Birmingham City attacker hasn’t quite got the opportunities that his performances have deserved, while the likes of Sheyi Ojo have continued to feature, despite a slew of below-par outings.
With three goals and four assists across his 538 minutes [Transfermarkt], he is averaging a direct goal contribution every 77 minutes, and he will no doubt be keen to play a bigger role as the fixtures come thick and fast from Friday night onwards.
Just like Jordan Jones, Stewart deserves to be unleashed and handed creative license against Stranraer, as the Gers look for a convincing win to kickstart their 2020.
