Philippe Clement shares whether Fabio Silva will start for Rangers v Kilmarnock
Philippe Clement has remained coy over whether Fabio Silva will make his Rangers debut against Kilmarnock at Ibrox on 2 January, as he suggested it could go either way.
The boss claimed he will have to assess the situation with his players following the defeat to Celtic on 30 December before he decides on which players come in or out of the team.
Silva officially joined the club on 1 January having agreed to a loan move on 28 December, and is eligible for selection already, although suggestions are he won’t be ready to start just yet.
Speaking to The Scotsman [1 January], the boss explained: “We will have to see about the availability of players. I need to see also after every game what the situation is with the players.
“So we will see.”
Not his time just yet
While Silva may well be available and fit to play, in the short time since he joined the club he has not participated in many training sessions, so it seems unlikely that he would be thrown straight into the starting XI and expected to slot in seamlessly.
More likely is that Cyriel Dessers will begin as the starting number nine once again, perhaps with Silva on the bench so that the boss can introduce him when he feels the game suits or needs it for the Portuguese to make an impact.
Despite Dessers’ awful display against Celtic, leading to many calling for him to be axed from the side immediately for missing a huge chance to draw Rangers level, he remains the best option to start up front when Kilmarnock visit Ibrox as he has done for most of the season.
Injuries to Danilo and Kemar Roofe, as well as Dessers’ inconsistency in form particularly in front of goal, meant Silva was the first-choice target at Ibrox, but fans may have to wait if they want to see him thrown in from the start.
In other Rangers news, a star man confirmed a new injury boost.