Rangers F.C. kept themselves firmly in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership title with a narrow 1–0 victory over St Mirren F.C. on Sunday.
The result in Paisley leaves Rangers just three points behind league leaders Heart of Midlothian F.C., with the top three sides separated by only a small margin as the season approaches its decisive stages.
The winning moment arrived when Tuur Rommens netted his first goal for the club. The Belgian defender met a superb cross from Nicolas Raskin at the back post and calmly guided the ball past Shamal George to secure the points.
Manager Danny Röhl will be pleased with the clean sheet and the three points, though the inability to add a second goal despite several opportunities may leave him frustrated.
Rangers may need a new right-back
Among the talking points from the match were a few underwhelming individual displays, including that of club captain James Tavernier.
Tavernier has been an outstanding servant to Rangers over the years, amassing 143 goals and 148 assists in 559 appearances. However, his performances this season have raised questions about whether he should remain the club’s first-choice right-back going forward.
The veteran defender has often tried to be the driving force for Rangers in attack, but his influence has not been as effective as in previous seasons. Against St Mirren, the difference between his contribution and that of Rommens was striking.
Rommens registered five key passes, created a major chance and scored the decisive goal despite having only 62 touches of the ball. By contrast, Tavernier had 117 touches but frequently lost possession.
Across the league campaign, the Rangers captain has surrendered the ball 507 times in 28 matches while registering just four assists. It suggests that the attacking style that once made him such a valuable weapon may no longer be delivering the same impact.
Defensive partnership impresses
Röhl opted to start Nasser Djiga alongside Emmanuel Fernandez in central defence, and the duo delivered another strong showing.
The pair also impressed in the Scottish Cup victory over Celtic F.C. and continued that form in Paisley by helping Rangers secure another clean sheet.
Their performances could create a selection dilemma for the manager, particularly regarding experienced defender John Souttar.
Souttar’s place under scrutiny
While Tavernier may continue to start in the closing weeks due to his leadership role and lack of alternatives at right-back, Souttar’s place in the team appears less secure.
Rangers have looked more stable defensively with Djiga and Fernandez as the central pairing, and their combination of pace and recovery ability allows the team to play with a higher defensive line.
With the title race entering its most critical stage, Röhl will want to minimise defensive risks. If Djiga and Fernandez remain fit, there is a growing argument that Souttar should not return to the starting line-up for the remainder of the campaign.
For Rangers, the focus now is on maintaining momentum in a tightly contested title battle. But as the run-in approaches, tough decisions over team selection could play a crucial role in determining whether they can close the gap on Hearts and lift the trophy. ⚽
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