Steven Gerrard’s side go for the win against opponents they drew with three times in last season’s Scottish Premiership
Rangers play host to Hibernian in their first Scottish Premiership match of the season at Ibrox on Sunday.
Steven Gerrard’s side approach the match in tremendous spirits, having recorded a fine 4-2 victory over Midtjylland in the Europa League, which has given them a tremendous platform to reach the play-off round of the competition.
Hibs, meanwhile, have won four of their five competitive matches this season, only slipping up by drawing against Stirling Albion in the BetFred Cup group stage – a game they subsequently won on penalties. They struggled, however, to beat St Mirren 1-0 at Easter Road last weekend.
| Game | Rangers vs Hibernian |
| Date | Sunday, August 11 |
| Time | 3pm BST / 10am ET |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game will be available for streaming on Rangers TV or Hibs TV.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | Rangers TV / Hibs TV |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will not be broadcast on television and is not available for streaming.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Rangers squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | McGregor, Foderingham, Firth |
| Defenders | Tavernier, Edmundson, Goldson, Katic, Polster, Barisic, Halliday, Helander, Flanagan |
| Midfielders | Jack, Davis, Ojo, Kamara, Docherty, Aribo, Arfield, Holt |
| Forwards | Stewart, Morelos, Defoe, Jones, Hastie, Dodoo, Middleton, Grezda |
Gerrard has reported no fresh injury problems after the midweek trip to Denmark. Filip Helander is a doubt, while Graham Dorrans and Jamie Murphy remain laid up.
With an intense fixture list, some degree of rotation should be expected, with Sheyi Ojo, Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis among those who could come in.
Possible Rangers starting XI: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic; Aribo, Jack, Davis; Ojo, Defoe, Arfield.
| Position | Hibernian squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Marciano, Maxwell |
| Defenders | Hanlon, McGregor, Jackson, Mackie, Whittaker |
| Midfielders | Vela, Mallan, Allan, Slivka, Horgan, Newell, Murray |
| Forwards | Kamberi, Doidge, Shaw |
Hibs are still troubled with a number of long-term injury problems. Ryan Porteous, David Gray, Lewis Stevenson and Martin Boyle are all sidelined.
Summer signing Tom James is missing due to an ankle problem he sustained against St Mirren.
Possible Hibs starting XI: Marciano; Whittaker, Hanlon, Jackson, Mackie; Vela, Mallan; Horgan, Allan, Newell; Kamberi.
Betting & Match Odds
Rangers are priced at 4/9 to pick up the win at Ibrox by bet365. It’s 10/3 for the teams to draw, as they did last season in three of the four league meetings, while a Hibs win is at 6/1.
Match Preview
Steven Gerrard’s mission this season is to lead his Rangers side to the Scottish Premiership title, though with Celtic chasing nine-in-a-row, the odds are stacked against the former Liverpool star.
The Gers, though, have been doing everything in their power this summer to strengthen and on the evidence of their early season performances, they have done just that.
Five wins and a draw in six competitive games is fine record by any stretch, with the 4-2 victory over Midtjylland on Thursday suggesting that they are getting stronger, if anything.
At a venue where Manchester United lost only three years ago, the Gers raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Alfredo Morelos, Joe Aribo and Nikola Katic. Although they suffered a wobble, Scott Arfield’s late strike means that it would take a dramatic collapse for them to be eliminated at Ibrox next week.
“I believe we’ve grown up,” Gerrard told Rangers TV. “I’m not sure we had this performance in us last year. Yeah, we go away to Villarreal and perform very well but I think we’ve gone up a level.
“Some of the goals we scored tonight were fantastic. I have nothing but praise for my players. I’m very proud of the performance.”
Next in the Ibrox side’s firing line is a Hibs outfit that was unconvincing against St Mirren last weekend, reliant on a late Scott Allan strike to tip the balance in their favour. Allan was outstanding throughout that encounter and it will be to the former Celtic man that the Edinburgh side look on Sunday.
Nevertheless, head coach Paul Heckingbottom believes his side will face a very different test at the weekend.
“It’s going to be a totally different type of game,” he said.
“Rarely are two games the same. But we’ll have to defend better than we did against St Mirren, pass the ball better and be more clinical.”
Four of the last five meetings between these clubs have ended drawn, including the incredible 5-5 tie to conclude the 2017-18 campaign.
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