Rangers head into the weekend’s action knowing that a win will either close the gap on Celtic, Aberdeen or both, with the two sides set to face each other on Saturday afternoon. The Light Blues first travel to Kilmarnock in the lunchtime kick-off and three points are a must.
With the news that Graeme Murty will be taking charge of the club until the end of the season breaking on Friday, it’s a great opportunity to start off his permanent reign with a win and lay down a marker to the two teams above them that they aren’t going anywhere soon.
In Killie though they’ll find tough opposition. The two sides drew in the last meeting between the two sides at Ibrox and at Rugby Park, it’s likely to be an even more difficult task for the visitors.
Fans will be hoping it’s a routine win, but there are THREE reasons why they are facing Kilmarnock at the worst possible time…
Steve Clarke has transformed them since arriving
Steve Clarke’s first match in charge of Kilmarnock was against the Light Blues and he got off to a great start with an impressive 1-1 draw at Ibrox. Since then he’s only improved the Ayrshire side further, pulling them out of relegation trouble, and recently has them in some fantastic form.
They’re unbeaten in their last four matches, winning three of them against St Johnstone, Partick Thistle and Motherwell. Clarke’s side have only been beaten twice since he arrived and those were games against the impressive Aberdeen and Hibernian. He even inspired his team to a draw at Celtic Park.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool assistant has them climbing the table and a win against Rangers would only boost their credentials a potential top six side come the end of the season.
Brophy and Boyd are on fire
In recent weeks Kilmarnock have been banging in the goals with Eamonn Brophy and Kris Boyd at peak form in the final third.
Boyd has scored three goals in his last three matches, having only scored three in the entire four months of the season prior to that. He’s found his scoring boots again and that makes him dangerous on Saturday.
Similarly, Brophy has been finding the net after a barren spell, rejuvenated on the right wing and hurting defences all over the country. Having previously failed to find the back of the net this season, the 21-year-old has four in his last four matches and has the ability to get in behind Rangers’ shaky defence.
If these two turn up then it could be a long afternoon for the visitors and Rangers could find themselves have to score two or more to pick up all three points.
Rangers are showing vulnerabilities again
It looked like Rangers had recently turned a corner under Graeme Murty. They had won four consecutive matches for the first time in over a year and went into a home match against St Johnstone expecting to make that five.
However, the Perth side shocked them with a clinical performance that again exposed a defence that continues to make basic errors. It was the first time St Johnstone had won a league match at Ibrox since 1971.
Danny Wilson and Bruno Alves looked like a dreadful partnership at the back but with a lack of options in the position, it could be a similar defence against Kilmarnock and that’s potentially bad news for supporters.
Rangers have kept just one clean sheet in seven matches and with Kilmarnock likely to find the net on Saturday, they’ll need to show far more ruthlessness with their chances than they did against St Johnstone if they’re to take a result home.