Tam McManus predicts result of Champions League showdown between Rangers and Napoli
Tam McManus feels Rangers are good enough to get a draw against Napoli at Ibrox, with the fans playing a huge part on Wednesday night.
Rangers suffered consecutive 4-0 defeats to Celtic and Ajax in their last two fixtures, before their weekend clash against Aberdeen was postponed following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
But they return to action at Ibrox on Wednesday in a delayed game against Serie A giants Napoli, but McManus told PLZ Soccer [12 September] that he feels they can get a draw from the game but they must score the first goal to get the fans back on side.
“It’s going to be tough for Rangers,” he said. “I think the fans have got to play their part. I think they always do at Ibrox on the big European nights.
“If Rangers can get the first goal, you know I think it’s a difficult place for anybody to come and play. So I think that Rangers are capable of getting a point, but I just think that Napoli have too much quality.
“I think they can get points. I think they can get points against Ajax and Napoli at home. I think they can get a draw. I think they can get a point.
“If they can get the first goal and get the crowd behind them, then I think they can be competitive at home in the Champions League.”
Needed
It’s been a very long week for Rangers fans after watching the team get demolished by Ajax last week, but they finally have a chance to make amends on Wednesday.
The fans will be vocal with their support and it will be an emotionally charged occasion following The Queen’s death, and with no Napoli fans allowed in the venue they will have no better chance.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst must make big decisions on his team selection to get fans excited and ensure that there is a reaction from the players too.
Another embarrassing loss could see the manager put in a position where his job becomes untenable, but even just a defeat of any sort will all but end Rangers’ slim hopes of progression in the Champions League and could have an even worse effect on morale in the title race.
It won’t be easy, but Rangers must have belief and confidence that they can get it done otherwise there’s simply no point turning up.
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