Rangers predicted XI vs Dumbarton: Clement to hand 21-year-old first competitive start

Rangers predicted XI vs Dumbarton: Clement to hand 21-year-old first competitive start

In the event that the pitch inspection at 1pm this afternoon is unsuccessful,

Rangers will go to Dumbarton to play in the Scottish Cup fourth round this evening.

The recent cold weather has raised questions about the state of the pitch at Dumbarton Football Stadium.

Supporters on both teams will only be hoping that the referee finds it safe to continue the cup match on the field.

It will be the Ibrox team’s first competitive game after the Christmas break, in which they faced Hertha Berlin and FC Copenhagen in friendly, losing and drawing, respectively.

The most significant part of the break, though, was the training camp in the warm weather at La Manga, which gave Philippe Clement more time to prepare his team in peak condition for the second half of the season.

Thankfully, the treatment table has cleared up a little since the start of the year, although Danilo, Kemar Roofe, and Kieran Dowell—long-term absences—might not play again until the end of the campaign.

In West Dunbartonshire, players like Ryan Jack and Tom Lawrence are up for selection, but will they ever play?

Rangers to mix things up for cup

We believe that Jack and Lawrence will be benched, and that Clement will choose to rest players like Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, John Lundstram, and Jack Butland.

Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz will be vying for the left-back position, but we think Clement would go with the Croatian because of the former’s uncertain future.

Fabio Silva should be given the chance to make an impression right away against League Two Dumbarton, while Rabbi Matondo will fill in for Abdallah Sima, exactly like he did against Copenhagen on Tuesday.

Rangers predicted XI vs Dumbarton

GK – Robby McCrorie

RB – James Tavernier

CB – Connor Goldson

CB – John Souttar

LB – Borna Barisic

CM – Jose Cifuentes

CM – Nicolas Raskin

CAM – Todd Cantwell

RF – Ross McCausland

LF – Rabbi Matondo

ST – Fabio Silva

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