Rangers confirmed team news: Ibrox outcast in squad as Gerrard makes two changes v Benfica
Steven Gerrard has made XX changes to Rangers’ starting line-up for the clash against Benfica at Estadio da Luz on Thursday evening.
After beating Kilmarnock 1-0 at Rugby Park on Sunday, Gerrard has opted to hand Glen Kamara and Steven Davis slots in his side with Scott Arfield and Cedric Itten being dropped.
Ibrox outcast Greg Stewart is also involved with the 30-year-old on the bench despite playing just three times in all competitions this season.
Rangers announced the team news via their official Twitter account prior to kicking off their third Europa League group stage fixture.
Both Rangers and Benfica have impressed in the Europa League so far this season by beating Standard Liege and Lech Poznan fairly comfortably.
Based on how the four clubs have started their group stage campaign, you would assume that the two sides playing at Estadio da Luz on Thursday will be the top-two.
But who will finish top out of the two remains to be seen.
Benfica are a massive club in Europe but after seeing them get beaten comprehensively 3-0 by Boavista at the weekend suggests they have some major weaknesses that can be exposed by Gerrard’s side.
Rangers, on the other hand, have won all of their last nine matches in all competitions.
If that winning run is going to come to an end then away at Benfica would be the fixture it was most likely to happen.
It wouldn’t be the end of the world if the Gers do suffer defeat.
Obviously, we want them to win and we do believe that the Light Blues have the capability of beating a team like Benfica – of course, they beat Porto last season.
But something suggests to us they won’t pick up all three points in Lisbon.
It could be a draw and we would take that.
In other Rangers news, Charlie Adam claims this player’s career at Ibrox could be over.