BBC Journalist tips Danilo to be Rangers ‘biggest goal threat’ in Scottish League Cup semi-final clash v Hearts
Clive Lindsay has tipped Rangers striker Danilo to be the difference maker in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup semi-final clash against Hearts (5 November).
The BBC journalist, sharing his BBC Sport preview (3 November) for the clash set to take place at Hampden Park, has backed the Michael Beale summer signing to be the Gers’ biggest goal threat after coming “out of hiding” in recent weeks.
The big-money £6m (Sky Sports) signing has scored in back-to-back games for the Gers for the first time since arriving in the summer, having followed up his dramatic winner against Hearts with another strike at Dens Park.
“Danilo has been a slow burner since his big-money summer transfer from Feyenoord, but the masked man of Ibrox has come out of hiding in recent weeks”, Lindsay wrote for BBC Sport.
“Hampered by injury, most notably the fractured cheekbone suffered while scoring against St Johnstone, the 24-year-old has overcome the need to wear facial protection on his return to score two in two, including last weekend’s dramatic league winner against Sunday’s opponents, and emerge as his side’s biggest goal threat.”
Clement’s go-to man
Rangers spent a large amount of money in the summer on very little in terms of their attacking players.
Cyriel Dessers, Danilo and Sam Lammers have each shared a number of criticisms for their starts to their Ibrox careers, but all three were on target in a morale-boosting win over Dundee in midweek.
Dessers has stepped up under the Belgian, but Danilo looks a different player since returning from a head injury lay-off, coinciding with Beale’s sacking and Philippe Clement’s appointment.
The 24-year-old has scored two goals in 147 minutes of action under Clement [WhoScored], with his start against Dundee just his third of the Scottish Premiership season.
But it was his off-the-ball running, work rate and all-round work in the final third which certainly caught Clement’s eye and which certainly sets him apart from the likes of Dessers and Kemar Roofe.
As per SofaScore, the Brazilian recorded four key passes, successfully completed 92% of his passes, won 100% of his dribbles, recorded five shots on target and won four of his five ground duels in a complete performance.
While Dessers and Lammers have certainly picked up some sort of form, Danilo has always offered much more when he starts and it’s that cutting-edge play that certainly now makes him an undisputed starter in Clement’s side. He’s got to start on Sunday.
In other Rangers news, a BBC Sport pundit has offered his prediction ahead of the Scottish League Cup semi-final with Hearts after what he saw on Wednesday (1 November).