Predicted Rangers team vs Aberdeen: 7 sweeping changes including a club first, duo rested + red card sinner keeps spot
How we think Rangers will line-up against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership at Pittodrie on Sunday
Rangers will hope to delay Celtic’s title party for at least another week when they travel north to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday needing to avoid defeat with Brendan Rodgers’ side in action against Kilmarnock today.
The Light Blues faint title hopes are mathematically still alive for the time being, but the writing is already on the wall for Barry Ferguson’s inconsistent men with the Ibrox legend’s chances of earning the job on a permanent basis all-but over after home defeats to Motherwell and Hibs in recent weeks.
With no domestic cup competitions to play for, the league title destined to head to Celtic Park and only the Europa League keeping their season alive, Gers supporters will demand to see a number of youngsters handed some game time as part of the senior squad between now and the end of the campaign.
The likes of Bailey Rice - who is expected to miss the trip to Pittodrie due to a head knock sustained against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday - Findlay Curtis, Paul Nsio and Zander Hutton have all been training regularly with Ferguson’s first-team set-up.
And now is the ideal time to pitch the academy starlets in and test their mettle. Ferguson is also likely to have one eye fixed on the return leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie against Bilbao next week, meaning key players such as Vaclav Cerny and Leon Balogun will be rested this weekend.
“Age is just a number in terms of young players,” Ferguson admitted when asked about playing youth between now and the end of the domestic campaign. “We have got some talented young players, there’s no doubt. We’ve got Bailey Rice, we’ve got Findlay Curtis, who have broke into the team over the last number of weeks.
“If they’re good enough and they’re show enough in training, I will have no issues with playing these guys. The door is open for young players in the academy. It’s important as a football club that you always produce your own. And as I said, I’ll do a lot of work to try and progress these young guys as footballers.”
Predicted Rangers XI vs Aberdeen (4-2-3-1)
Liam Kelly; James Tavernier, John Souttar, Robin Propper, Jefte; Connor Barron, Nicolas Raskin, Tom Lawrence; Findlay Curtis, Ross McCausland, Hamza Igamane.
SUBS: Jack Butland (GK), Ridvan Yilmaz, Oscar Cortes, Cyriel Dessers, Mohamed Diomande, Nedim Bajrami, Clinton Nsiala, Ianis Hagi, Danilo.