Rangers vs Celtic: Kris Boyd expects Abdallah Sima to be benched for Old Firm clash
Kris Boyd believes Rangers star Abdallah Sima will start the Old Firm derby clash with Celtic as a substitute after making his return from injury.
The Senegal international had been in fantastic form this season for Philippe Clement’s side before a muscle injury ruled him out for two months.
But the on-loan winger returned to the pitch in the 3-1 win over Hibernian on Saturday as a substitute in a boost to the manager’s options, but Boyd has admitted to Sky Sports (2 April) that he would be surprised to see the 22-year-old start after the form of Fabio Silva and Cyriel Dessers.
“Yeah I think it’s a boost obviously for the title run in but I can’t see Sima starting either,” he said.
“I think Rangers have been pretty settled in that area recently with Fabio Silva off the left and Dessers through the middle.
“I think with the start that Sima had at Rangers, obviously it was a bad injury he got, but Philippe Clement will be delighted to have him back because he is a threat.”
Rangers don’t need to rush Abdallah Sima back
While it may be tempting to put one of the team’s best performing attackers back into the fire for such a big game, there is a bigger picture to look at.
The game against Celtic is not the final game of the season and while it is being billed as a title decider, there will still be another Old Firm clash once the league splits too.
It’s also important to note that winning the game means little if the team then goes on to lose other games in the run-in, so having your best players available all season is a necessity.
The team have done well in recent weeks with Silva and Dessers in the side together, and having Sima as an option to come on later against tired legs could make all the difference in what will likely be a tight game.
There’s no need to rush Sima back before he’s completely ready, but if he is 100% fit and ready to go then his spot in the team should not be up for debate.
In other Rangers news, Boyd and Sutton have shared an “impossible” verdict ahead of the clash with Celtic.
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