Rangers is set to host St. Johnstone in their next Scottish Premiership encounter on Saturday afternoon at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow.
Rangers vs St. Johnstone – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 23rd October.
- Kick-off: 3pm BST.
- Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow.
Rangers team news
Rangers face a severe squad crisis ahead of their clash against St Johnstone, as a widespread sickness bug has swept through the club.
Manager Derek McInnes confirmed that roughly half a dozen players have contracted the virus, leaving the status of one or two key regulars highly uncertain.
This late illness compounds an already devastating injury list, with six crucial first-team players officially ruled out of the fixture. The Gers will be without Lawrence Shankland, Youssef Chermiti, Daisuke Yokota, Cammy Devlin, and Jose Cifuentes.
Additionally, defender Ross McCrorie remains sidelined with a hamstring issue, though he is currently closest to returning. With both Chermiti and Shankland unavailable to spearhead the attack, Ryan Naderi is expected to retain his place leading the line, while Kevin Kelsy offers an alternative option if he manages to recover from the squad-wide illness in time.
St. Johnstone team news
St Johnstone encounter selection hurdles of their own as they prepare for the trip to Ibrox, missing key figures in both midfield and defense.
The Saints suffer a massive blow with the loss of star midfielder Sam Stanton, who has been completely ruled out following a freak training ground incident that left his ankle cut open to the bone and required immediate stitches.
Furthermore, defender Zach Mitchell remains a long-term absentee and is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a severe ACL injury.
Despite these setbacks, manager Simo Valakari received a significant squad boost with the immediate return of Cheick Diabate, who is available for selection after serving his suspension.
The manager will look to field a competitive lineup anchored by Diabate’s return to the defensive unit, while in-form striker Josh Fowler is fully fit and prepared to spearhead the Saints’ attack.
Form
Rangers
Rangers enter the fixture in excellent form, sitting second in the Scottish Premiership. Derek McInnes’ side recently saw their impressive seven-game winning streak halted but remain unbeaten in their last eight matches across all competitions. Their last outing resulted in a hard-fought 2-2 away draw against Dundee FC. Prior to that slip, the Gers showcased their dominance with a convincing 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock and a brilliant 1-0 win at Celtic Park.
St. Johnstone
St Johnstone have adapted exceptionally well since returning to the top flight, currently occupying a respectable fifth place with 12 points. Simo Valakari’s side comes to Ibrox on a steady run, remaining unbeaten in their last two matches. The Saints secured an impressive 1-0 away victory against Aberdeen before playing out a competitive 1-1 home draw against Dundee United last weekend. However, their away form remains mixed, yielding just one win.
Predicted lineups
Rangers: Pandur; Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice; Raskin, Neil; Bouanani, Kim, Gassama; Naderi
St Johnstone: Steward; Smith, Finlayson, Diabate, Alic; McAlear, Holt; Stanton, Cotterill, Steven; Fowler
How to watch Rangers vs St. Johnstone?
The Rangers vs St Johnstone match will not be broadcast live on television in the UK. Because the game kicks off in the traditional Saturday 3:00 PM BST slot, it is subject to the UK’s strict broadcasting blackout rules, meaning no domestic TV channel is permitted to screen it live.
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