John Souttar axed by Danny Rohl in two changes – Rangers predicted XI vs Celtic
John Souttar could drop to the bench for Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday.
Danny Rohl‘s side come into the game off the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw against their Old Firm rivals weekend.
While their Scottish Premiership title hopes have taken a huge dent, the Bears need to bounce back by knocking Martin O’Neill’s side out of the cup.
If Rohl wants to win silverware this season, this competition might be his best chance of doing so, and Souttar could be among the two players dropped for the clash at Ibrox.
John Souttar to be replaced by Nasser Djiga in two changes
Souttar has had his fair share of injuries this campaign, and that has surely contributed to his poor performances.
The 29-year-old defender was beaten in the air by Claudio Braga for Hearts’ second goal in Rangers’ 4-2 win in February, which is something that should never happen for a centre-back of his stature.
And then against Celtic, he looked unsure throughout the match, and it feels like it will only be a matter of time before he finds himself on the bench.
| Stat | Souttar |
| Appearances | 22 |
| Ground duels won | 62.7% |
| Aerial duels won | 65% |
According to Sofascore, the Scotland international has only made 10 interceptions in the league this campaign, which is an incredibly disappointing return.
As a result, Nasser Djiga should come back into the side, and it’s safe to say that he has impressed when called upon in recent months.
The other change would see James Tavernier come in for Dujon Sterling at right-back, with the veteran looking to extend his impressive record against the Hoops.
Although Liam Kelly has played in all of the cup matches this season, the game’s significance means that is unlikely for Jack Butland to drop out of the side.
Why Danny Rohl can’t afford to rotate much of his team
In fact, it would be a shock for Rohl to change much of the side that started at Ibrox last week.
While the cup would ordinarily pave the way for some of the squad players to impress, Rangers can’t afford to lose.
A defeat to Celtic would pile pressure on Rohl, which is the last thing he needs after overseeing a brilliant revival in Rangers‘ season.
When you take into account the fact that they’re up against their bitter rivals, then going with the strongest possible team is a necessity.
That’s why it is imperative that he doesn’t overcomplicate the selection of his starting line-up.
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