Rangers faced a goalless draw at Easter Road against Hibernian, causing them to drop to third place behind rivals Celtic. Celtic is currently ahead due to scoring more goals, while Hearts, the league leaders, have extended their lead to six points with a strong victory over Dundee United. Rangers need to bounce back and secure a win on Wednesday as they prepare to host Kilmarnock, who are struggling near the bottom with only 17 points from 24 matches.
Rangers have already beaten Kilmarnock twice this season under manager Danny Rohl. The board has backed him with new players during the winter transfer window, and it remains to be seen if he will adjust his lineup to include these new signings.
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Rangers Lineup To Face Kilmarnock
Defence
Jack Butland has been in excellent form, earning a clean sheet against Hibs despite facing a challenging situation. He hasn’t conceded in the league since the 3-1 victory over Celtic, a streak likely to continue against Kilmarnock, who are among the least scoring teams in the league.
Rohl surprised many by starting Dujon Sterling on the right, ahead of captain James Tavernier and Max Aarons. Sterling’s playing time needs to be managed due to injuries, so Tavernier, who was an unused substitute last weekend, is expected to start this week. John Souttar and Manny Fernandez will likely remain the central defensive pair, with Jayden Meghoma at left-back until Tuur Rommens is match fit. Nasser Djiga will be on the bench as the only backup for the defense, while Derek Cornelius is still recovering from injury and Clinton Nsiala has joined Westerlo on loan.
Midfield
Tochi Chukwuani stood out against Hibs with his tackles and challenges while playing alongside Nicolas Raskin in midfield. Connor Barron is out due to injury, so Rohl will rely on this duo for depth in the midfield.
Thelo Aasgaard struggled at Easter Road, but his skills as an advanced playmaker give him an edge over Mohamed Diomande. Andreas Skov Olsen is still finding form since his loan from Wolfsburg, but he is likely to start over Mikey Moore on the right. Djeidi Gassama is anticipated to operate on the left, with the decision to send Findlay Curtis on loan leaving Nedim Bajrami, Danilo, and Oliver Antman as additional options in wide positions.
Attack
Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski have not been very productive in attack, but the Ibrox manager seems to favor Chermiti, who has been given opportunities over the past few months. However, there is also the new signing Ryan Naderi, who might come into play later in the match.
