Ryan Kent finally dropped, Giovanni van Bronckhorst to make 5 changes – Rangers predicted XI v Ajax
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has got some huge decisions to make for his Rangers team ahead of their final Champions League clash against Ajax.
The two sides meet at Ibrox on Tuesday night with a win potentially earning Rangers a place in the Europa League in 2023, despite having lost five out five games so far including a 4-0 thrashing in Amsterdam on match day one.
But a big win themselves could see them leapfrog Ajax at the death, while any sort of positive result would see the team avoid the record for the worst group stage in the history of the competition.
For that reason alone the manager must ensure he selects the best possible team to get a result, despite the injury problems and the form worries of some players at his disposal.
One player that there are no such concerns over is goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who won his place back earlier this season and hasn’t looked back since.
James Tavernier hasn’t had the best season so far but he got on the scoresheet at the weekend during the 4-1 win over Aberdeen and missed a penalty, but he’s guaranteed to start here fitness permitting.
Borna Barisic found himself on the bench at the weekend but Ridvan Yilmaz picked up an injury and it seems unlikely that he’ll return in time for the game, so that should be a way back in for the left-back.
In the middle Ben Davies was forced off injured at the weekend too, leaving just Leon King and James Sands as the fit and available options so they’ll almost certainly form another new partnership for this game.
Midfield options are slim too with Ryan Jack still injured and John Lundstram suspended, so Glen Kamara is likely to come in alongside the veteran Steven Davis to provide a steady base for the attack which has struggled badly in Europe.
Scott Arfield scored the club’s only goal in the group stage so far this season in the 7-1 loss to Liverpool and he should start once again, potentially on the right to help offer more protection on the wings.
Youngster Malik Tillman has impressed in splurges this season since his loan from Bayern Munich, so he will likely get the nod again in the number ten role where he is most comfortable to try and affect the game as much as possible.
On the left Ryan Kent has had a terrible campaign so far but his reputation has kept him in the side, until now. But this should be the game where Van Bronckhorst makes a statement and drops him, bringing in Welsh summer signing Rabbi Matondo to try and claim his spot.
Antonio Colak is now firmly the number one option in attack as the number nine, and another goal at the weekend will have done him no harm at all and he should start ahead of Alfredo Morelos once again.
Rangers predicted XI vs Ajax: McGregor; Tavernier, King, Sands, Barisic; Lundstram, Davis; Arfield, Tillman, Matondo; Colak
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