Barry Ferguson tips Alfredo Morelos to start for Rangers in ViaPlay Cup final despite Kemar Roofe form
Barry Ferguson believes Rangers manager Michael Beale should start Alfredo Morelos up front in the club’s ViaPlay Cup final showdown against Celtic, despite Kemar Roofe’s impressive return from injury.
The Gers are set to face their fierce rivals at Hampden Park on Sunday (26 February), with Beale looking to get his hands on a first piece of silverware since taking the reins at Ibrox in November.
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show (20 February, 17:30) Ferguson waxed lyrical about Roofe’s return from injury that saw him net a late goal against Livingston last week but admitted Morelos still deserved to start against Celtic.
“I thought Roofe looked very sharp for the 20 minutes he came on, he looked the part,” he said. “But for me, on Sunday, Morelos starts up top.
“In terms of Colak, you don’t know if a manager fancies him or not. But from the looks of it, he’s putting Roofe on before him in the game against Livingston. With Roofe, it will be interesting to see if Rangers can keep him fit for the last part of February then into March, April and May.
“My only issue with Kemar is having him available for the vast majority of the season. He hasn’t been that for Rangers so far. You’ve got two good centre-forwards to come on there in Roofe and Colak.
“You can’t argue with Colak’s record, he’s scored a few goals but he’s struggled with a calf issue. I’ve always liked Roofe, but the issue is trying to keep him fit for every game Rangers have until the end of the season.”
Options
The wealth of options Beale has at his disposal isn’t the worst position to be in, and being able to bring any two of these off the bench could prove crucial. Often in cup finals and huge matches such as the Old Firm, a substitute can actually be the game-changer and not the starter.
Roofe’s main issue has always been injuries. He is a proven goalscorer at every level he has played at and Ibrox has proven no exception, with 25 goals scored from 48 appearances, but he can’t keep himself off the medical table.
If the 30-year-old can stay fit in the coming months, he can still play a significant role under Beale this season, starting with this cup final. Morelos has warranted a starting berth thanks to his strong form recently, but Roofe will be waiting in the wings for a chance to make a decisive impact on Sunday.
In other Rangers news, a key man may now be unavailable for the Old Firm derby after yet another injury to the Gers squad.