The biggest problem that Rangers had heading down to Old Trafford to face Man Utd was always going to be a shortage of depth.
Philippe Clement had a squad that was hanging by a thread and by the time the full-time whistle blew, that thread had well and truly snapped.
A strongish starting XI ended with half of the B team lining up together in the sort of situation that none of them would have dreamt of when they were playing in the Challenge Cup for Rangers only a matter of weeks ago.
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Kieran Dowell gets the message after Rangers snub
What Clement did do was put a virtual nail in the coffin of Kieran Dowell’s career at Ibrox as he looked to his bench, time after time, and ignored the Michael Beale signing.
Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis were given the nod, as was Ross McCausland, even when Nedim Bajrami was replaced, Hamza Igamane stayed on and dropped into a deeper midfield role.
He needed experience and a bit of composure, but gave the kids a chance to impress instead.
Dowell isn’t injured, but looks to have been given a place on the bench purely because there wasn’t anyone else to pick.
What has Clement said about Dowell leaving in January?
When asked recently about the chances of Dowell, and Rabbi Matondo, leaving during the January transfer window, the Gers boss said:
“I cannot give any update about loans or not, or players going or not, until something is concrete and it’s not the case for the moment.
“I can say about Rabbi that I made a choice, a sportive choice today to put two young lads because I think they are performing for the moment better.”
Rangers really need to continue the clear out and get players like Dowell off the bench, at least Cyriel Dessers offers something and is honest.
That Dowell didn’t get a run out at Old Trafford because of his work rate in training, says it all.
