OPINION
Aaron Nemane has the chance to establish himself as a first-team regular in Pedro Caixinha’s Rangers side on Sunday as the Gers take on Ross County at Victoria Park.
The 19-year-old joined Caixinha’s side earlier this week on loan from Manchester City until January, and could be thrown in at the deep end by the Portuguese boss after Josh Windass was ruled out with a rib injury.
Former Santos Laguna manager Caixinha is expected to choose the speed machine over the likes of Dalcio and Joe Dodoo to replace Windass, despite only joining the 54-time Scottish champions on Thursday.
Windass, 23, has begun the 2017-18 campaign on the left flank away from his normal central-midfield position and has shown in glimpses just what he is capable of without any kind of consistency in the final third.
The former Accrington Stanley ace is expected to return to the side following Sunday’s clash, giving Nemane just one opportunity to stake his claim for a starting slot under Caixinha.
Nemane, who can play on either flank, boasts an abundance of pace that allows him to blitz past his opponents to reach the byline or even cut inside and shoot for goal himself.
Making 16 appearances last season for Manchester City’s second string, it was his creativity that saw him glow in a side bursting at the seams with potential.
The forward produced seven assists, as well as scoring once himself against Derby’s Under-23 side and that kind of vision and intelligence in the final third to create a goal was missing from the Light Blues’ side last weekend.
Rangers suffered a frustrating 0-0 draw against Hearts as they lacked the creative nous to break down the Jambos’ defence, and Nemane has shown in his young career that he can prove to be the difference in such a situation.
He must show that on Sunday when the Gers step on to the playing surface in order to keep Windass out of the first eleven, as Nemane and Rangers look to pick up just their second three points of the season.