Rangers return to domestic duties against St Johnstone looking to get the league campaign back on track after Celtic fled from Dingwall with all three points thanks in no small part to a helping hand from the officials.
Philippe Clement will be hoping that he doesn’t need such luck and the Gers manager has made a few changes as he looks to keep his squad fresh.
An unsociable kick-off time on a Sunday night won’t help the mood in the stands at Ibrox but here is the confirmed Rangers team that Clement has picked to take on St Johnstone.
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Rangers team news vs St Johnstone
Despite conceding four goals, Jack Butland was one of a few players who could hold their heads high walking off the pitch against Lyon.
If he is as busy again against St Johnstone, something has gone badly wrong.
In front of him, the Gers boss is looking to build consistency and has gone with the same defence that started in the Europa League.
James Tavernier is skating on thin ice given how poor he has been, especially when Neraysho Kasanwirjo’s impact against such good opposition is also considered.
Philippe Clement will set his team up to be on the front foot, however, he has no idea how tonight’s visitors will play given the changes in manager:
“You cannot predict. They had a manager a few weeks ago when we played against them (in a 2-0 Premier Sports Cup win). He was sacked after so the interim manager did the job and did it in a different way.
“Now, a new manager has come in, so we don’t have any clue how they’re going to approach the game.
“So the most important thing stays, like we always do, we look first at ourselves to play the game.
“And I think the main target now is to recover really well after the game on Thursday, to be good again on Sunday, to make the difference against them and to play our football.”
Rangers to build attack around Bajrami
In midfield, Clement will want his team to dominate with one enforced change.
Tom Lawrence didn’t emerge from the tunnel on Thursday and has been replaced in the number 10 role by Nedim Bajrami.
The Albania international has been outstanding on the left but the central attacking role is where he is most at home.
He is supported by Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin, the latter coming in to give Connor Barron a breather.
Where Rangers were let down against Lyon was in the forward line.
Glorious chances were missed but Clement has given two out of the three players culpable a chance to redeem themselves and brought Ross McCausland in for Lawrence.
Vaclav Cerny and Cyriel Dessers will be wanting to make amends and go into the international break with a more positive mindset.
What will give fans a bit of hope, is having Ianis Hagi back on the bench.
They need something to get excited about and the Romania international could be just the tonic.
As would three points and a good performance.
