The Athletic: Rangers 18-year-old could make first competitive start v Stranraer
Rangers will have returned from their winter break in Dubai in high spirits after a convincing victory over Lokomotiv Tashkent.
With a chance to go top of the Scottish Premiership coming up, and a Scottish Cup tie against Stranraer on Friday, Steven Gerrard will have his eye on many different pieces of silverware at Ibrox.
The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell has given a recent insight to the team that could start against the League One outfit – with a couple of possible surprises.
“The team that started Saturday’s friendly against Uzbekistani side Lokomotiv Tashkent is understood to be the line-up that will start Friday’s Scottish Cup tie against Stranraer at Ibrox,” he wrote.
“Give or take a change or two, which could mean a first competitive start for right-back Nathan Patterson.”
That would most likely see captain James Tavernier drop out and have a rest for the Ibrox clash. Why not? This will be the best chance for Gerrard to rest a couple of his more senior options for the important upcoming league fixtures.
Tavernier has been superb this season but has started each of the Light Blue’s 19 fixtures in the league – something that could quickly catch up with him.
Patterson has been training with the first-team regularly, and his start in Dubai this week will put him in a good spot to continue that form in the fourth round of the cup.
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