Nsiala To Start? | Predicted 3-4-3 Rangers Lineup To Face St Mirren | OneFootball

Rangers have five dead rubber fixtures left in what turns out to be another dismal campaign following their Europa League heartbreak last midweek. They will travel to Paisley on Saturday afternoon to clash heads with St Mirren, and the interim boss, Barry Ferguson, must motivate his men to finish the season strong, considering they have an Old Firm clash at Ibrox next weekend.

However, the Buddies have dominated this fixture so far this term. The Gers clinched a 2-1 Ibrox win in October but suffered back-to-back defeats, both home and away, in their past two meetings. They will be without several first-team stars due to injuries and suspension, and Ferguson must find the right balance between youth and experience to grab a result at St Mirren Park.

Predicted 3-4-3 Rangers Lineup To Face St Mirren

Defence

Jack Butland has lost his starting status to Liam Kelly. The former Motherwell custodian is expected to keep his place between the sticks for the remainder of the season.

Rangers have suffered significant defensive blows throughout the campaign. Injuries to Dujon Sterling, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Liam Balogun, Rafael Fernandes, and Ridvan Yilmaz decimate them further across the backline. Yilmaz and Sterling’s absence could see skipper James Tavernier being restored as a right wing-back. This would allow Clinton Nsiala to reclaim a first-team spot alongside John Souttar and Robin Propper.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Hamza Igamane of Rangers vies with Richard Taylor of St Mirren during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers FC and St. Mirren FC at Ibrox Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Midfield

Tavernier must exhibit his flair, marauding runs, crosses and set-piece expertise from the right-hand flank. Jefte, on the left, would offer a balance between defence and attack. Ross McCausland featured at times as a makeshift wingback, but the Scotsman is serving a one-match suspension after receiving a marching order against Aberdeen a couple of weeks back.

Although the former Dons’ prodigy Connor Barron has depicted glimpses of his quality and class since completing a Bosman switch last summer, Ferguson must opt for Bailey Rice, considering the vision, maturity and technical traits showcased by the 18-year-old academy graduate despite limited gametime. The youngster would benefit from the presence of Nicolas Raskin as his central midfield partner. Besides Barron, Mohamed Diomande and Tom Lawrence could also be involved in executing strategic alterations in the middle of the park.

Attack

Findlay Curtis is the other 18-year-old youth prospect who has a bright career road ahead of him. He deserves a nod down the left before Ianis Hagi, Danilo, and Nedim Bajrami. Also, the gaffer must replace Cyriel Dessers with Hamza Igamane to introduce mobility and flexibility high up the pitch. Vaclav Cerny should operate from the right, as he has shown his scoring skills and creative spark in and around the attacking third.