Ibrox View: Predicted Rangers starting XI v Slavia Praha
Rangers welcome Slavia Praha to Ibrox on Thursday evening as they look to reach the quarter-finals with the game on a knives edge.
The Bears drew 1-1 in Prague last week, and have Allan McGregor to thank for that after his incredible last-gasp save as everyone’s heart dropped in their mouths.
Steven Gerrard’s side started slowly but a change in system to play with two central attackers seriously helped and saw them create significant chances.
McGregor is easily the first name on the team-sheet at this moment in time, and he is performing out of his skin with another contract coming.
The back four is quite straight-forward, too.
Unless James Tavernier miraculously recovers from his injury, Nathan Patterson and Borna Barisic should continue at full-back.
Conor Goldson and Filip Helander will keep their partnership in the heart of the defence, and having Leon Balogun on the bench will be great cover.
Ryan Jack should be back available for the second leg, and his return at the base of midfield would be perfect to halt the Czech’s from countering.
Either side of him in midfield will be the familiar partnership of Glen Kamara and Steven Davis as they continue to dominate every team they come up against.
That leaves either Joe Aribo or Ianis Hagi in the playmaker role.
Aribo should get the nod, with the Romanian usually the one to drop out when Gerrard has to make slight changes to his side, but this gives the Bears a brilliant bench if needed.
Gerrard switched to two up top in Prague, and that will see Ryan Kent move more centrally and use his pace in-behind as a real weapon.
Alfredo Morelos will of course partner Kent, in what could be a deadly partnership with Kemar Roofe to come off the bench and make sure if needed.
Here’s how we expect the Bears to line up…
In other Rangers news, Simon Jordan claims Celtic about to take ‘huge risk’ to catch Gers