OPINION
With the winter break over Rangers can finally get their season underway once again with a tough test against third placed Kilmarnock on Wednesday night.
The Gers’ postponed Scottish Cup game against Cowdenbeath means that the Light Blues have had nearly a month to wait between games – excluding their friendly outing against Helsinki – which means fans have had to patiently wait to see the likes of Steven Davis and Jermaine Defoe in action.
With their return to league action on the immediate horizon, Steven Gerrard knows that his men need to pick up another victory to keep pace with table toppers Celtic and as such needs to name a side who can sink Killie’s hopes of catching the Gers themselves.
There is no doubt that Defoe has to be given a start now he is integrated into the squad and he must be one of three changes, with Borna Barisic and Nikola Katic coming in for the axed Daniel Candeias, Connor Goldson and Andy Halliday in an attacking 4-3-3 formation.
Killie will be no pushovers on Wednesday which is why Gerrard has to adopt a tactic which brings the best out of his side and having three up top and three in midfield should give him the attacking impetus to sink the home side.
At the back, Katic is likely to be an enforced change due to Goldson’s confirmed injury while Barisic is back and fit after his own layoff and having a natural left back is crucial for the success of the Light Blues.
The dominant midfield was what kept Celtic at bay in the Gers’ last outing and so to change it would be a recipe for disaster, but up top it should be nearly all change.
Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos must be joined by Defoe in a front three, the trio able to cause all sorts of havoc to the Kilmarnock back line with their pace, interplay and general cutting edge in attack.
The Gers will believe they have one of, if not the, strongest sides in Scotland – it is time to prove what can be done with a demolition job on Wednesday.