No Roofe or Morelos as pundit names combined Rangers & Celtic XI ahead of Old Firm
Rangers’ current Old Firm superiority has been laid bare once again as ex-Celtic defender Alan Stubbs opts for six Gers in his combined XI, but there’s no space for strikers Kemar Roofe or Alfredo Morelos
Stubbs, in an interview with Sun Sport, has paid tribute to the stunning start to the season made by Steven Gerrard’s side, particularly to the defence as four of the backline is made up of Rangers players, but he is less impressed with their forward line, as his selection of Celtic forwards shows.
The decision to only name one Rangers attacking player in Ryan Kent, and no Ibrox strikers, is sure to raise a few eyebrows, considering they lead the Scottish Premiership in goals scored (54), and have a wealth of talent at their disposal.
In his front pairing, Stubbs names Leigh Griffiths and Odsonne Edouard, while leaving out Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.
Griffiths has only scored four Premiership goals this season, while Roofe has netted nine times in the league for Rangers, behind only teammate James Tavernier (11) and Hibernian’s Kevin Nisbet (10).
The Rangers players to make the grade for Stubbs’ team are Allan McGregor, Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Borna Barisic, Steven Davis and Kent.
Roofe may not have made Stubbs’ combined XI, but he’s certainly made a lasting impression amongst the Gers faithful with his goalscoring exploits this season.
The 27-year-old has shone domestically and in Europe this season, hitting double figures (11) in his debut season for the club after his move from Anderlecht in the summer.
If he keeps up his form he can be sure to beat his current career high total of 17 league goals, scored for English League Two side Oxford United in 2015/16.
He will hope to add to his current league total of nine in the upcoming weeks, as they first travel to St Mirren on Wednesday, before the Old Firm clash on January 2.
The Celtic match-up will be Roofe’s first Old Firm experience, after he missed the 2-0 defeat of Rangers bitter rivals on October 17, which remains the Hoops only league defeat of the season so far.
In other Rangers news, McPake agrees loan terms with English club.