Barry Ferguson expects Alfredo Morelos to play for Rangers v Celtic
Rangers will ‘find a way’ to ensure Alfredo Morelos is fit enough to play against Celtic on Sunday, according to former captain Barry Ferguson.
The Colombian hitman has been sent home from international duty with a thigh injury, with his national FA reporting “muscle overload” as the cause.
Now the 25-year-old is sweating on his availability ahead of the weekend’s Old Firm derby at Ibrox, but Ferguson told GoRadio that he’s sure the club will ensure he plays because of his importance to the side.
“He’ll play,” he said. “I just know he will play. They’ll find him a way to get him on the field.
“I know he’s got a slight thigh strain, but I’m sure Rangers will do everything they can this week and make sure he’s fit, because he is so important to Rangers.
“You’ve seen the difference in him since Gio’s come in, he looks a lot sharper, looks a lot fitter, looks as if he’s in a really happy place.
“He’s scoring goals. I think his all round game has really improved. I was speaking to Gio and I was speaking to Roy Makaay about him, and they said that he’s worked really hard since they’ve come in, lost a bit of timber.
“That’s shown on the field with his performances.”
Needed
If Rangers could pick one key player to miss the game, Morelos would be the last name they’d pick to miss this game of all games.
The difference in level and quality between him and Kemar Roofe in the striker role is night and day, and that’s not a disrespectful thing to say about Roofe.
But the link-up play, energy, physical attributes and lift he gives to the fans is priceless and in a game like this one Rangers will need every boost they can get.
Without him they crumbled to a 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park in February and have been the hunters rather than the hunted in the title race, but they finally have a chance close the gap once again.
If they want to do that though, Ferguson is right. They must find a way to get Morelos on the pitch and fit enough to compete and be at something near his best, or they can kiss the title goodbye.
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