Why Dujon Sterling can provide ‘huge lift’ for Rangers after developments away from Ibrox
Dujon Sterling’s return has come at the perfect time for Danny Rohl and Rangers.
Sterling hadn’t featured for Rangers since April after suffering an Achilles tendon rupture in their 1-1 draw with Athletic Club, but returned against Ferencvaros.
The English defender is now ready to play a part in Rangers‘ season after months of recovery.
Sterling is naturally considered to be a right-back, although he played centrally at times under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson last season.
What’s even better for Sterling is that Nasser Djiga’s upcoming spell with Burkina Faso at AFCON will be perfect for him to be reintegrated back into the team.
Nasser Djiga going to AFCON is huge for Dujon Sterling’s Rangers career
Derek Cornelius and John Souttar are both injured, with Rangers’ main two centre-backs ruled out for another few weeks.
Djiga will join up with the Burkina Faso squad after Rangers’ match with Hibernian on 15 December, leaving Emmanuel Fernandez and Clinton Nsiala as the only fully fit centre-backs in the squad.
That’s where Sterling can help.
| Appearances | 20 |
| Pass accuracy | 88.1% |
| Ground duels won | 57% |
| Recoveries | 40 |
| Dribbled past | 2 |
After Sterling came off the bench in Rangers’ 2-1 loss to Ferencvaros on Thursday, Steven Naismith and Billy Dodds believe that he could be a huge upgrade to Djiga in the starting lineup.
Speaking on TNT Sports after the Europa League loss, Hutton said: “Sterling coming back could be a huge lift at this moment in time. I’m not sure how long [Derek] Cornelius and [John] Souttar are going to be out for, but what we’ve seen tonight, Rangers have a real frailty at the back.”
Dodds added: “Until those two are back, Sterling could be a real asset, especially with Djiga going to AFCON.”
Sterling is highly rated in Govan, and having another option in defence as Djiga leaves will be a lifeline for Rohl, if he can stay fit.
Nasser Djiga needs a break away from Rangers
Despite impressing against Ferencvaros, Djiga’s loan move to G51 has been disastrous, to say the least.
If Burkina Faso enjoy a successful run in AFCON, the defender may not be back in action for Rangers until the end of January, leaving Rohl short of options in defence.
Of course, it might take a while for Sterling to get back to his best after seven months on the sidelines, but, at this point, Djiga is in desperate need of a break.
Critical mistakes in continental matches have left Rangers all but eliminated from the Europa League, and it’s clear he isn’t suited to play at that level.
Perhaps success on the international stage will give him confidence for the second half of the campaign, but for now, Djiga’s absence and Sterling’s return are the best solution for all parties involved.
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