Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has hinted that fringe players will be deployed during Friday’s clash with Hibernian at Easter Road, as quoted by the club’s official Twitter account.
The Gers have been struck by injuries, suspension and illness ahead of the crunch fixture, as they look to reduce the deficit at the top of the Premiership table to two points.
Filip Helander (foot) and Steven Davis (calf) are out, while Jordan Jones is doubtful following a bout of illness earlier in the week and talisman Alfredo Morelos is unavailable after his red card at Motherwell.
As a result, Gerrard is calling for squad players to take responsibility.
Verdict
It sounds as though big opportunities beckon for some who have been starved of playing time over recent weeks.
Jermain Defoe is the most obvious example. The veteran striker has only started one of the last six league games and hasn’t scored in any competition since October.
Given the number of goals Morelos has notched this season, it’s a big void to fill, but we’re confident the England international can get the job done [Rangers News YouTube].
The rest of the starting XI is unlikely to differ greatly from Sunday’s win at Fir Park, but the likes of Greg Stewart, Sheyi Ojo and Brandon Barker may need to be primed to play big roles from the bench.
Slipping up at Easter Road would be disastrous, and even though multiple key men are unavailable, Rangers must come away with a win.
