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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
Sport
Mark McDougall

Rangers lineup vs Cove Rangers predicted as Scott Wright prepares for first start

In a normal season you might have seen Rangers play a bit of a reserve side here when they host their Cove counterparts.

The League One side are in good form but you'd still expect Rangers to ease through this round of the tournament and make their way through the competition.

And with the league sewn up already, Steven Gerrard is likely to go with a strong squad with one or two fringe players who are pushing for a start.

The suspensions of Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey and Bongani Zungu make it a bit more awkward for Gerrard to ring the changes but he could still make four changes to the team who drew with Celtic last time out.

Allan McGregor signed a new deal this week but Jon McLaughlin will want game time to try get his Euros place and this seems like a good game to give him a chance.

There's not much chance for change in defence and Leon Balogun is likely to start at right back again, but Jack Simpson could make his first start in the middle alongside Connor Goldson, with Borna Barisic at left back.

A slight change to the system in midfield would allow Kamara and Aribo to be rested after their international games, and Steven Davis could play alongside Scott Arfield - who didn't have any games during the break.

Ianis Hagi often does his best work centrally and moving him into 10 position allows Scott Wright to make his first start, up against some of his old team-mates.

There could be a call for Cedric Itten to start up front, but Alfredo Morelos is in such good form that Gerrard might fancy just keeping that going before making a chance.

Predicted team: McLaughlin, Balogun, Goldson, Simpson, Barisic, Davis, Arfield, Wright, Hagi, Kent, Morelos

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