Jim Goodwin has predicted that Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is likely to make several changes and deploy two dangerous players in Wednesday’s Premiership fixture against St Mirren [Not The Old Firm].
The Gers were stunned by the Buddies in the League Cup earlier this month and return to Paisley seeking revenge after recording three consecutive victories.
Gerrard has already hinted that he’ll rotate his squad ahead of the Old Firm at the weekend, and Goodwin is predicting three or four changes, while he expects both Borna Barisic and Alfredo Morelos to start.
Barisic came off the bench in the League Cup defeat after backup left-back Calvin Bassey had given away a penalty, while Morelos missed the game due to a violent conduct ban.
“Obviously, it’s an extremely difficult fixture for us,” said Goodwin [Not The Old Firm]. “We know that we’re capable of the upset because we’ve done it not so long ago in the quarter-final of the Cup, so we have to try to replicate that kind of performance if we’re going to get any kind of positive result from the game.”
“We know that Rangers will be coming here wanting to put things right in their minds.
“We expect Rangers to make three or four changes…it’s going to be a really difficult challenge for us but one we’re really looking forward to, we’re not shying away from it.
“Like I said I expect them to make changes. I would expect Barisic to come in, they could start with Morelos up top. Regardless of who Gerrard goes with, though, it’s going to be a team full of international quality players.”
Rangers have passed several big tests recently but it will be interesting to see how the players deal with a confident St Mirren side just days before a potentially season-defining Old Firm.
It’s likely that Gerrard will prove Goodwin correct by deploying Croatia international Barisic at left-back, while after being used as a substitute in the last two games, Morelos is also due a start.
El Bufalo has only scored twice in his last 17 appearances in all competitions but he’s still probably the no.9 the Buddies defenders will least want to face and he’ll be determined to contribute in Paisley.
Gerrard could also opt to draft in a mercurial 26-year-old who hasn’t featured for the first-team since October.
