Barry Ferguson takes his side north on Sunday having lost on their last trip to the Granite City in October
Kris Boyd has warned Rangers that their valiant display against Athletic Bilbao will mean nothing if they can’t back it up with a victory in the league against Aberdeen on Sunday.
Despite playing with 10 men for 77 minutes (plus the 12 minutes of injury time) following Robin Propper’s dismissal, Gers bit down on their gumshield to hold the Spaniards to a goalless draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter final at Ibrox, with back-up goalkeeper Liam Kelly – who was brought into replace out-of-form Jack Butland – also pulling off a penalty save.
Barry Ferguson’s side now head up to Pittodrie to face a Dons team in the hunt for a third place finish in the Premiership.
Rangers were beaten by Jimmy Thelin’s side on their last visit to the Granite City in October after Shayden Morris hit a late second half winner in a 2-1 defeat for Gers.
The Light Blues last won at Pittodrie way back in December 2022, with Scott Arfield netting at the death in a 3-2 thriller.
And ahead of the game. Boyd insists Ibrox diehards won’t accept nothing less than a similar type of shift that they put in against Bilbao against the Reds this weekend.
Speaking on The Warm-Up, he said: “Rangers fans demand you win every single game, do you think they’re going up to Pittodrie for a holiday? No chance.
“They need to go up there and win the game, they’ve already been up there and lost this season, they need to go up, put in a performance where at least the fans come away and say ‘there’s a bit of fight there, there’s a grit, determination’ ahead of what is a huge game in Bilbao.”
Former Scotland and English Premier League star James McFadden also appeared on the show and believes that Butland will have a tough time getting back into the Gers team if Kelly can build on his showing against Bilbao.
He added: “It’s the biggest game of Rangers season at that point, so you’re saying the position is now Liam Kelly’s to lose, that’s football.
“I thought he would maybe go with Jack Butland with his form in Europe, you’re talking about Liam Kelly coming in before, that’s the life of a number 2 goalkeeper, be ready to be called upon knowing that even if you play 3 or 4 games, you might come back out.”
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