Barry Ferguson names his Rangers starting XI to play Celtic in Old Firm showdown
Barry Ferguson has called for Michael Beale to make just one chance to his Rangers starting lineup when they face Celtic on Monday at Ibrox.
Rangers will start the game nine points behind their fierce rivals in the title race, knowing they must win this game to stand any chance of a comeback to be crowned champions once again.
And after a dominant 3-0 win over Motherwell most recently, former skipper Ferguson has called for one change to that lineup and wants to see the 50,000+ fans in the ground make a difference on match day.
“Allan McGregor in goals, James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Ben Davies and Borna Barisic,” he said while appearing on Go Radio (30 December).
“John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara [in midfield]. Malik Tillman, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos up top.
“Rangers are at home and they have 50-odd thousand fans behind them. I always look forward to it but I always have nerves, as you always do leading into an Old Firm game.
“I can see signs from Rangers of where Michael Beale wants them to get to. But it is going to take time.”
Experience
There is an argument to be made that the team that Ferguson wants to see named from the start in the Old Firm clash is our strongest possible eleven, even when everyone is fit.
The defence could potentially see John Souttar come in for Ben Davies, but that isn’t a guarantee, and you could try to fit in Tom Lawrence and Antonio Colak in ahead of Malik Tillman and Alfredo Morelos, but this team is definitely strong enough to win.
With Kamara coming in for Alex Lowry, Ferguson clearly wants to see added quality but also added experience in the side for such a big occasion, and with the Finland international playing well since Beale’s arrival it wouldn’t be a shock at all.
It’s so important that Rangers start the game quickly, because if Celtic take the lead the energy at Ibrox will drain out of the stands quickly and the task will become so much harder to complete.
This will be one of the biggest games at Ibrox in recent memory. The crowd will be rocking and the players will have no excuses not to be up for it too. It’s a must win, and nobody will be complaining if this is the starting lineup come Monday lunchtime.
In other Rangers news, Ross Wilson has been given a clear transfer mission after news emerged in the last 48 hours