Rangers boss Steven Gerrard needs Ryan Kent to stand up and be counted against Celtic on Sunday if the Gers are to get a positive result at Parkhead.
Kent officially became a Ger on Deadline Day after the club stumped up a reported £7.5m [Sky Sports].
The news had many Bears jubilant, but it hasn’t been plain sailing since.
A hamstring problem on his second debut saw him miss a month of action and since then, we’ve only seen him produce in fits and starts. He scored two excellent goals against Hamilton and he kickstarted the win at Hibernian last weekend with a well-taken opener.
However, there have been disappointing displays along the way, too. Away at Aberdeen, at home to Young Boys and against the Hoops in the League Cup final, he failed to make an impact on the game.
On Boxing Day against Kilmarnock, the endeavour was certainly there, and he stung the opposition keeper’s palms on a number of occasions, but he wasn’t quite able to find a way through.
As the paciest and trickiest member of the first-choice Gers XI, he needs to step it up come Sunday.
Last season, he displayed a real appetite for the big stage provided by Old Firm fixtures, and he scored a wonderful solo goal at Parkhead in March.
Steven Gerrard will be hoping for a similar moment of magic this time around.
Much of the scrutiny will be on Alfredo Morelos and the striker’s goal drought against Celtic, but he needs help from the others in the side with attacking license.
Kent has the ability to run the Hoops ragged, but he needs to be on top form from the off.
Jeremie Frimpong may have looked reasonably comfortable against him at Hampden earlier this month, but he’s a young inexperienced defender, and if the ex-Liverpool man keeps probing, he will eventually find joy.
