Falkirk vs Rangers – Preview, Lineups, Score Prediction | OneFootball

Fixture: Falkirk vs Rangers Competition: Scottish Premiership Kick-off: 5th October, 15:00 UK time

Rangers travel to Falkirk with the chance to bag a second away Scottish Premiership win on the trot after last weekend’s late victory against Livingston.

A defeat to Strum Graz in the Europa League on Thursday evening though, has soured the mood after a horrid first-half display. With Rangers still to play Roma, FC Porto and Braga, there is a trepidation that qualification from the league phase is already hanging by a thread.

Though the Gers’ performance improved in the second half, it was not enough to scrape anything from the game, with dissenting voices heard from the away end only adding to the already virulent atmosphere around Rangers, amid one former Gers star recently warning he cannot see the fans changing on Russell Martin.

Max Aarons said post-match that “the mood in the stands isn’t good and it’s affecting us”, with anything Martin saying now only sounding hollow with his assessment that the performance was due to a ‘mentality issue’ and not a ‘technical, tactical problem’ ringing like a cop-out.

With the ire of the fans palpable even in away games, Martin has a task at hand to sequester his team from the chagrin directed towards him.

Rumour mills have already linked Steven Gerrard, alongside Sean Dyche, with the hot seat at Rangers, but there is no sign yet the club’s new owners are preparing to remove Martin.

Newly promoted Falkirk have the worst defensive record in the league, having let in twelve goals, one fewer than Livingston, who have conceded thirteen having played a game more, at a rate of two per game.

Falkirk are second from bottom, but are only two points off Rangers in eighth, and have outscored the Glasgow club seven to five in the league.

Their solitary win though, came against bottom club Aberdeen, who are yet to score a goal this season.

Falkirk have been defeated just once at home this season while picking up a pair of 2-2 draws against Dundee United and Hibernian.

They are sure to rise to the occasion of playing Rangers and would love to pile more pressure onto the Gers.

Recent Form (league)

Falkirk: LDLWL Rangers: WLDDD

Key Men

Falkirk

Calvin Miller has contributed two goals and three assists in all competitions and will want to showcase his wares against Rangers, especially given he came through the youth ranks at Celtic.

Dylan Tait is the top scorer for Falkirk with five goals, playing behind MacIver, and will want to continue his fine form against a struggling defence.

Ross MacIver will know that lapses of concentration have become all too common for Rangers and will want to pounce on any such opportunities as he bids to make a name for himself.

Rangers

Mikey Moore will be trying to force his way into the starting line-up with Oliver Antman remaining ineffective and Martin might be incentivised to play him as it has been suggested there could be ae further factor of having to pay a larger chunk of his wages if Rangers do not play him.

Bojan Miovski cost less money to sign that Youssef Chermiti and is proven in Scottish football, as well as being proven in general. He can again stand up here and make the signing of Chermiti even more baffling in the process.

Djeidi Gassama, who learned from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and is the club’s top scorer, was the sole shining light against Strum Graz.

Match Prediction

Rangers have gone 23 away matches without a clean sheet, their worst run since 1897 and a betting man would back the run to extend with little signs of defensive improvement forthcoming.

The Gers have lost both of their past two league visits to Falkirk, each in the Scottish Championship in 2015/16, while the last time they lost to the Bairns in the top flight was in December 2006 under Paul Le Guen, with the Frenchman out of the job within a month. A loss could see a similar outcome for Martin.

With the players becoming cognisant of the fans’ feelings, it will be a hard task for Martin to keep them motivated and attentive throughout the 90 minutes.

If Rangers are to win, they are likely to need at least two goals, given their defensive record and propensity to switch-off during parts of the game. That would entail making any period of dominance from them count by converting their chances.

The experienced and in-form players in the side like Tavernier and Gassama will have to step-up while those whose places in the starting eleven is not a given, will have to be hungry to take their chances. Butland might again be required to help his side out at the other end.

Even if everything comes together, it still might only delay the seemingly inevitable.

Falkirk 1-1 Rangers

Where To Watch?