Dundee United v Rangers 24 05 09

Venue: Ibrox Date: Saturday 16 May Kick-off time: 1230 BST Coverage: Setanta Sports, BBC Radio Scotland, Radio(Non UK), Rangers Live(Non UK), List of Satellites, Streams.

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Dundee United expect striker Francisco Sandaza to shake off a hamstring injury as the home side seek the point or more that will guarantee European football.

 

Andis Shala and fellow forward Warren Feeney are ruled out with an ankle knock and hamstring tear, respectively.

Rangers will clinch the title with a win and have defender Madjid Bougherra available after his red card against Aberdeen was overturned.

Barry Ferguson may start after appearing as substitute last weekend.

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Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
“It’s a great occasion to be involved in – I’m relishing it – and as a player, if you can’t get inspired by this then nothing will inspire you.

 

“Our lads certainly seem to have responded and the tackles have been flying in during training.

“I can tell they are really up for it and every single one of them is desperate to play.

“Part of it is because of last weekend; we were out of sorts and the lads want to make up for that.

“The other factor is that our whole season has come down to this game and everyone is just desperate to do well.”

Rangers manager Walter Smith:
“Barry Ferguson is fit enough to start now. He was fit enough to start last week but we gave him a few days extra.

“He missed the Hibs game when he might have been ready to play.

“He’s fit enough to start on Sunday if required. Will he? You’ll have to wait and see.

“Any player who is experienced at winning championships – and we don’t have that many of them – would help.”

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Dundee United: (from) Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Grainger, Caddis, Gomis, Buaben, S Robertson, D Robertson, Conway, Sandaza, Goodwillie, McGovern.

 

Rangers: (from) Alexander, Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, Davis, Mendes, Ferguson, Edu, Lafferty, Fleck, Miller, Boyd, Novo, McGregor, McCulloch, Dailly, Wilson.

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This season: Rangers 3-3 Dundee Utd, Dundee Utd 2-2 Rangers, Rangers 2-0 Dundee Utd

Rangers v Aberdeen 16 05 09

Kenny Miller inspired the victory when his cross was put into the Aberdeen net by Ricky Foster and then headed a great goal from a Novo cross.

However, Madjid Bougherra was sent off and will miss next Sunday’s final game of the season at Tannadice – unless Rangers mount a successful appeal.

It was one of two controversial red cards in a fraught match for the 50,295 fans.

The first controversy arose in 17 minutes. Lafferty went in hard on Charlie Mulgrew on the touchline and the Aberdeen player did not like it.
He stupidly put his face into Lafferty’s face and the Rangers player went down. There did not seem a lot of contact but the intention was there and Mulgrew was sent off.

Assistant referee Graham Chambers helped Stuart Dougal make the decision and it was his say-so which led to the dismissal of Madjid Bougherra six minutes before half-time.

Bougherra slid in with his right boot raised trying to get on the end of a Steve Davis cross and he caught Dons keeper Jamie Langfield on the head.

It was a legitimate attempt to play the ball and it was completely accidental. Incredibly, Chambers called over Dougal and he flashed a red card. It seemed incredible that in a match of such importance, Chambers would make such a call.

For the second game running an assistant referee had given a huge call against Rangers. No wonder the fans were going ballistic.
That said, for the period that Rangers did face 10 men they did not really hurt Aberdeen.

Steve Davis had a shot in 32 minutes which hit Sasa Papac and then caught the base of Langfield’s right hand post.

Then a minute later Langfield had to make a smart block from Papac’s close range shot after Mo Edu had played him in.

Rangers v Aberdeen 16 05 09

Venue: Ibrox Date: Saturday 16 May Kick-off time: 1230 BST Coverage: Setanta Sports, BBC Radio Scotland, Radio(Non UK), Rangers Live(Non UK), List of Satellites, Streams.

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Kenny Miller remains an injury doubt with a hamstring injury for Rangers ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premier League visit by Aberdeen.

Fellow striker Andrius Velicka is unlikely to feature through illness, but defender Sasa Papac is back fit.

Aberdeen midfielder Mark Kerr returns from suspension.

But Jamie Smith, Andrew Considine, Zander Diamond, Darren Mackie, Derek Young and Tommy Wright are all out injured and Peter Pawlett is doubtful.

Rangers manager Walter Smith:
“At Rangers and Celtic, the pressure is on and you’ve got to win whether you play on a Saturday or a Sunday. That’s the bottom line.

“I don’t think all this stuff about pressure being put on you by the one who has played on the Saturday is there.

“You’ve got to win the game anyway.”

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
“We are under no illusions about how difficult it is going to be. We have played well there in recent years and, if we had taken our chances, we could have come away with a victory.

“Eighteen years is a long time for Aberdeen. It is the only ground that I have not won at since I came here and, having been born only a mile away from the stadium, it would be nice to get that monkey off my back.

“I don’t think Hearts and Dundee United would be too happy if we won, but we just have to look after ourselves.

“If we get a draw and Hearts and Dundee United draw, or Hearts win, then that may be a good point for us.”

Rangers (from): Alexander, Dailly, Bougherra, Weir, Whittaker, Papac, Davis, Mendes, Edu, S Smith, Lafferty, Boyd, McCulloch, Miller, McGregor, Novo, Fleck, Wilson.

Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Foster, Severin, Mair, Mulgrew, Duff, McDonald, Kerr, Aluko, Miller, Maguire, Bossu, Vidal, Stewart, Paton, Ross, Holme, Stirling Smith.

This season: Aberdeen 1-1 Rangers, Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen, Aberdeen 0-0 Rangers

Hibernian 1 – 1 Rangers

NACHO Novo rescued a point for Rangers against Hibernian in controversial circumstances as the Clydesdale Bank PremierLeague title race took another dramatic turn.

The Ibrox side were furious an earlier effort from the Spaniard was not allowed to stand after Derek Riordan had given the home side the lead.

The 1-1 draw saw Rangers squander the opportunity to move clear of Celtic at the summit, with goal difference all that separates the Old Firm rivals heading into the final two games of the SPL season.

Hibs, meanwhile, were bolstered by being able to welcome back Rob Jones, Chris Hogg and Sol Bamba, who all missed the Edinburgh derby win over Hearts through suspension.

Rangers had an early opportunity to put Hibs under pressure when Kris Boyd was fouled by Ross Chisholm, earning the Ibrox side a free-kick.
Steven Davis – scorer of the winner against Celtic on Saturday – stepped up for the set-piece but drove narrowly wide of target from 30 yards.

Rangers had another decent chance when Riordan lost possession to Pedro Mendes, who teed up the shot for Boyd but the striker was denied by a timely block from Jones.

Hibernian v Rangers 13 05 09

Venue: Easter Road Date: Wednesday 13 May Kick-off time: 1945 BST
Coverage: Setanta Sports, BBC Radio Scotland, Radio(Non UK), Rangers Live(Non UK), List of Satellites, Streams.

Hibernian quartet Rob Jones, Chris Hogg, Colin Nish and Sol Bamba all return from suspension.

Goalkeeper Grzegorz Szamotulski and Denes Rosa are out injured by striker Jonatan Johansson is expected to recover from a knock.
Defenders Sasa Papac and Kirk Broadfoot remain injured for Rangers along with midfielder Barry Ferguson.

Maurice Edu is expected to be fit despite missing training earlier in the week with a knee problem.

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Hibernian (from): Ma-Kalambay, Van Zanten, Hogg, Jones, Murray, Rankin, Bamba, Chisholm, Stevenson, Fletcher, Riordan, McNeil, Thicot, Hanlon, Keenan, Nish, O’Brien, McCormack

Rangers (from): Alexander, Dailly, Bougherra, Weir, Whittaker, Davis, Mendes, Edu, S Smith, Lafferty, Boyd, McCulloch, Miller, McGregor, Novo, Velicka, Fleck, Wilson.