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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Dave Prentice

9/1 first scorer tip for Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen is a better bet than Morelos

Rangers have been magical against Braga, Porto and Feyenoord internationally this season, but miserable against Hearts, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Hamilton and St Johnstone domestically.

So which Gers will turn up at Ibrox on Thursday?

Sadly it probably doesn't matter.

Bayer Leverkusen are a quality team in excellent form at home and abroad.

The Bundesliga aces have won 11 of their last 13 outings, the only blemishes being an impressive 1-1 draw at an RB Leipzig side who have just humbled Tottenham Hotspur and a 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim.

And that run includes a 4-3 victory over Bundesliga big guns Borussia Dortmund.

Bayer warmed up with a 4-0 stroll over Eintracht Frankfurt, declaring at four after 55 minutes the day before Rangers laboured to a 1-0 win over Ross County.

That all makes the 6/5 from thepools.com on an away win look generous, which doesn't even take into account the sizeable distraction of an Old Firm game looming on Sunday.

A draw may suit the German side at 5/2 but even that would still take a huge effort from Steven Gerrard's men, especially with Ryan Jack and James Tavernier injury doubts.

Alfredo Morelos is 9/2 first scorer and 6/4 anytime but hasn't done anything since the winter break to warrant those odds.

A better price and a better bet is Ianis Hagi, who netted twice against Braga at Ibrox. The Romanian is 9/1 first scorer and 16/5 anytime .

Leverkusen wonderkid Kai Havertz is catching the eyes Europe's biggest clubs and scored his ninth of the season in that weekend win over Frankfurt.

He's good odds of 11/2 to open the scoring and 2/1 to score at any time .

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