OPINION
Steven Gerrard must make four changes if he wants to field his best possible Rangers team in their Europa League clash with Villarreal on Thursday night.
The Light Blues will be heading to Spain without the services of the suspended Alfredo Morelos, but Borna Barisic, Scott Arfield and Ryan Kent must also be axed for the midweek showdown.
Jon Flanagan impressed at left-back in the Europa League qualifiers and must return to the line-up while the form of Andy Halliday and Ovie Ejaria mean that Arfield must be dropped from the midfield.
Eros Grezda should get his first start for Rangers over Kent on the left wing and Kyle Lafferty is a no-brainer to start up front due to Morelos’ suspension.
Allan McGregor should keep his spot in goals after an impressive start to his second spell for the Gers with James Tavernier, Nikola Katic, Connor Goldson and Flanagan lining up in the back-four.
After impressing in the 4-0 win over Dundee on Saturday, Halliday should start in the midfield alongside Lassana Coulibaly and £104,000-a-week (Spotrac) Liverpool loanee Ejaria, with 29-year-old Arfield axed.
Rangers’ other loan signing from Liverpool, Kent, must not start though and Grezda should be given the chance to show everyone what he is made of against Villarreal. Daniel Candeias must keep his spot on the right wing.
Lafferty is a no-brainer to start up front due to Umar Sadiq’s seeming lack of ability.
Rangers have a huge test ahead of them this week, but with this team starting, Gerrard can be expected to grab an unexpected result in Spain.