Rangers are gearing up for their Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian on Sunday, August 9, at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. After a disappointing midweek performance, the team is eager to secure their first domestic victory of the season.
Manager Derek McInnes is expected to make several changes to the lineup following Rangers' 2-1 defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Europa League qualifiers. The loss has added pressure on the squad, which is already dealing with injury setbacks. Defender Ben Godfrey is sidelined for three to four weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained during the European match. Additionally, midfielders Connor Barron and Jose Cifuentes are unavailable as they recover from knee injuries.
On a more positive note, newly signed South African centre-back Olwethu Makhanya, who joined from Philadelphia Union, has been cleared to play and could make his debut at Ibrox. McInnes may also opt to start Nicolas Raskin, young midfielder Findlay Curtis, and striker Lawrence Shankland, all of whom are eager to prove their worth in the starting XI.
Hibernian, managed by David Gray, comes into this match with a mixed bag of results. After suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Motherwell in their opening match of the Premiership season, they bounced back in European competition. Hibernian dramatically overturned a 2-0 deficit against Malisheva to win 4-1 and followed that with a solid 2-1 victory over Shkendija in the Conference League qualifiers.
However, Gray faces challenges with his squad as he deals with injuries to key players. Central defender Rocky Bushiri is ruled out with an Achilles injury, while midfielders Nicky Cadden and Jamie McGrath are both major doubts due to calf strains. Defender Jack Iredale is also unlikely to play as he recovers from an appendix operation. Despite these setbacks, Hibernian boasts a strong attacking lineup, with young forward Owen Elding expected to lead the charge after scoring two goals in his last three appearances. He will be supported by regular starters Nathan Lowe and Martin Boyle.
Rangers have had a rocky start to their campaign, drawing their opening match against Dundee United 1-1 and then losing in Europe. With no wins in their first two fixtures, they are keen to turn their fortunes around against Hibernian. Meanwhile, Hibernian will look to build on their recent European success and secure a positive result in the league.
The predicted lineups for the match are as follows: Rangers are expected to field Pandur; Sterling, McCrorie, Fernandez, Rommens; Devlin, Raskin; Curtis, Aasgaard, Diomande; and Shankland. Hibernian's lineup may include Sallinger; O’Hora, Kerr, Obita; Passlack, Mulligan, Chaiwa, Mayor; Elding, Lowe, and Boyle.
Fans can catch the action live in the UK on Premier Sports 1, as both teams look to make a statement in this crucial early-season clash.
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