It may have been a frustrating afternoon at Fir Park, but Rangers need to play two up top to beat Celtic next week.
Steven Gerrard’s side were held to a 3-3 draw on Sunday at Fir Park, but there were real positives. One of them was the partnership between Alfredo Morelos and Kyle Lafferty going forward.
And Gerrard has to take into account that both must play if they’re to beat Celtic next Sunday.
Combination is key
Too often have the Ibrox side played the Hoops in recent seasons with just one up front. Alfredo Morelos has done his best to cause the Hoops problems, but he always needs help when facing Brendan Rodgers’s side.
It always seemed as though there weren’t enough forwards in the Rangers squad with sufficient quality to partner Morelos. However, with the addition of Lafferty, it appears the Gers have finally gotten their man.
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The Northern Irishman bagged a superb brace at Fir Park to ensure Rangers left North Lanarkshire with something. His performance earned rave reviews from supporters.
The main positive for Gerrard, however, will be how well this new-look partnership combined with each other. Morelos and Lafferty both have terrific football qualities that can compliment each other.
Can’t drop the Colombian
With the form the Colombian is in at the moment, Morelos cannot be dropped. Regardless of his failure to notch a goal at Motherwell, the forward showed terrific build-up play throughout the 90 minutes. Added to that, he’s proven in the past he can give Celtic real problems, and will be looking to make up for some bad misses last season against the Parkhead side.
On the other hand, Lafferty has bullied Celtic around in the past. In his last four meetings against Rodgers’ men with Hearts, he notched goals in each one. He’s the only player in the Rangers squad with previous pedigree against Celtic, and has to start.
Gerrard could also do with looking at the opposition’s weaknesses next Sunday when it comes to selecting his side.
Celtic have continued to have defensive problems since the beginning of the campaign. They seem to be known for not being able to defend basic cross-balls. This is where the combination of Morelos and Lafferty could pay dividends.
With the form of both players combined with Celtic’s main weakness, it’s a no-brainer. Lafferty and Morelos must start at Celtic Park.