Rangers face one final match tomorrow before the international break
Benfica defeated Glasgow Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox on Thursday evening, ending their European dream.
The result means that the Light Blues can now concentrate only on domestic affairs, which, given their seemingly never-ending injury list, may be a good thing.
Philippe Clement will lead his team against Dundee at Dens Park tomorrow afternoon, their final game before the international break.
The Tayside outfit is presently ranked sixth in the Premiership rankings.
Rangers have scored eight goals and conceded only one in their last two domestic matches. A convincing win will keep them at the top of the table moving into the final stretch.
Clement may make a few changes to his starting lineup for the next trip to Dundee, following midweek European activities.
1GK – Jack Butland
The Englishman was unlucky not to preserve a clean sheet in midweek, but his strong performance in the first leg likely kept the Light Blues in the tie.
With 23 clean sheets in 47 games, he has been in excellent form since going north of the border last summer. If he can keep it up tomorrow, the Gers will enter the international break with confidence.
2RB – James Tavernier
Despite neither scoring or assisting against Benfica, the captain has scored twice and assisted once against Dundee this season.
This might be a positive omen for tomorrow’s match, and Tavernier will be more than ready to lead his club to another Premiership triumph.
3CB – Connor Goldson
Goldson, like Butland and Tavernier, is the first name on the team roster when he is healthy. The center-back has missed only two league games this season.
He has made a few blunders recently, and he has failed to deal with long balls over the top, which some clubs, most notably Celtic and Aberdeen, have taken advantage of.
4CB – John Souttar
The Scottish defender is quickly establishing himself as a key member of the defence with Goldson, and the two are forging a formidable relationship.
Souttar was a behemoth versus Benfica. The defender made seven clearances, won five duels, completed 92% of passes, and only lost possession seven times during the match.
The former Hearts player put up another strong performance, and he will continue to play for Dundee.
5LB – Ridvan Yilmaz
The Turkish defender has taken Borna Barisic’s starting spot on the left side of the defence, and the Light Blues appear to be a much better team as a result.
This season in the top division, Yilmaz has generated six great opportunities and averaged 1.7 critical passes per game, demonstrating his improving offensive talents.
6CM – John Lundstram
Lundstram’s contract extension is very certainly inevitable, given his performances under Clement.
The midfielder has only missed one match since the Belgian took charge in mid-October, and his consistency has been crucial to the Gers’ recent success.
The 30-year-old will continue to play in the middle of the midfield against Dundee, and if he continues to perform well, the Ibrox side should win comfortably.
7CM – Mohamed Diomande
The January signing has quickly settled in at Ibrox. With only ten games, the 22-year-old has already scored twice, indicating a promising future in the game.
He struggled against Benfica, surrendering possession 17 times and winning only 2 out of 9 duels. He was eventually replaced by Nico Raskin in the final minutes.
8RW – Scott Wright
The winger was a surprise starter against Benfica, and many believed it could be his last chance to truly demonstrate Clement what he is capable of.
The Scot performed well, making one important pass, dribbling three times, and winning four of six ground duels, demonstrating physical strength.
Wright will start against Dundee again tomorrow since Ross McCausland is not match fit.
9AM – Todd Cantwell
Tom Lawrence hasn’t done anything wrong recently, but he could be dropped to the bench for tomorrow’s match as Cantwell returns to the starting lineup.
The former Norwich City starlet missed the previous five matches due to a hamstring injury before coming off the bench in midweek. Starting against Dundee could help him get valuable minutes.
10LW – Rabbi Matondo
With Abdallah Sima and Oscar Cortes absent, Matondo could be given the starting left wing spot. Former Wales manager Ryan Giggs described the £3m dynamo as “electrifying,” and his speed poses a threat to Dundee’s defence.
Despite limited appearances due to injuries, Matondo has four goals and four assists this season.
If he can get off to a good start against Dundee, he will undoubtedly be instrumental in breaking down their defence during the game.
11ST – Fabio Silva
The teenager has been successful on the left wing, but with Cyriel Dessers’ terrible performance against Benfica in midweek, it’s time for him to be put in the middle.
Silva has now scored four goals for the Light Blues since coming on a six-month loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the winter transfer window.
He could provide something unique in a centre-forward role against Dundee, and if he performs well, Clement may be able to play him there indefinitely.
Predicted Rangers starting XI against Dundee in full: GK – Butland; RB – Tavernier, CB – Goldson, CB – Souttar, LB – Yilmaz; CM – Lundstram, CM – Diomande; RW – Wright, AM – Cantwell, LW – Matondo; ST – Silva
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