Defending Scottish League Cup champions Rangers will kick off their title defense on Saturday, as they go head-to-head with St Johnstone in a second-round encounter at Hampden Park.
The Light Blues will be eager to shake off the disappointment of Tuesday's Champions League loss to Dynamo Kiev. They were generating more promising opportunities than their rivals until Jefte's controversial second yellow card reduced them to 10 men, shifting the momentum in favour of the Ukrainian side.
The Gers are now set to enter the less financially rewarding Europa League for the second consecutive season. However, before they embark on that newly expanded tournament at the end of next month, their immediate priority will be to regain momentum and re-establish a strong run of results in domestic competitions.
A victory against St Johnstone is crucial for the club to secure a spot in the League Cup quarter-finals. St Johnstone suffered a close defeat to Aberdeen on the opening day but responded impressively with a commanding 3-0 win at Rugby Park in their most recent outing.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Rangers vs St. Johnstone kick-off time
| Date: | Saturday, August 17, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 5:45 pm BST |
| Venue: | Hampden Park |
The match between Rangers and St. Johnstone will be held at Hampden Park on Saturday, August 17, 2024, with kick-off at 5:45 pm BST in the UK. The Gers are currently playing their home games at Scotland's national stadium due to ongoing construction work taking place at Ibrox.
How to watch Rangers vs St. Johnstone online - TV channels & live streams
In the UK, the match between Rangers and St. Johnstone will be available to watch and stream online live through Premier Sports 1.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Team news & squads
Rangers team news
Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz was carried off with a thigh injury in midweek and is expected to join Nicolas Raskin (ankle) and Oscar Cortes (knee) on the sidelines.
With Yilmaz likely out, Jefte may step in at left-back, while Rabbi Matondo, Scott Wright, or new signing Vaclav Cerny could be in line for a start on the left wing.
Danilo is pushing for a starting spot up front over Cyril Dessers, and Liam Kelly, Leon King, Dujon Sterling, and Kieran Dowell, who all began on the bench midweek, will be looking to break into the starting lineup.
St Johnstone possible XI: Rae; Neilson, Sanders, Cameron; Wright, MacPherson, Smith, Essel, Raymond; Sidibeh, Kimpioka.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Butland, Kelly |
| Defenders: | Tavernier, Yilmaz, Propper, Souttar, Nsiala, Sterling, Jefte, Davies, Balogun, King, Devine |
| Midfielders: | Barron, Diomande, Dowell, Lowry |
| Forwards: | Dessers, Lawrence, Matondo, Cerny, Wright, McCausland, Danilo, Igamane |
St. Johnstone team news
Striker Uche Ikpeazu is still out with a groin injury, and defender Sam McClelland, who suffered a ruptured Achilles just over a week ago, is also set for an extended period on the sidelines.
Head coach Craig Levin is expected to field a strong starting XI, featuring the attacking duo of Kimpioka and Sidibeh, who have already netted a combined 10 goals in just six games this season.
Rangers possible XI: Kelly; Tavernier, Souttar, Propper, Jefte; Diomande, Dowell; Cerny, Lawrence, Wright; Danilo.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Sinclair, Rae |
| Defenders: | Essel, McClelland, Olufunwa, Keltjens, Neilson, Raymond, Cameron, Sanders, Parker |
| Midfielders: | Kucheriavyi, Smith, Carey, Franczak, McPake, Wright, Smith, Sprangler, MacPherson, Ferguson |
| Forwards: | Ikpeazu, Sidibeh, Mbunga-Kimpioka, Clark, May, Kirk, Steven |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 18/02/24 | St. Johnstone 0-3 Rangers | Scottish Premiership |
| 21/12/23 | Rangers 2-0 St. Johnstone | Scottish Premiership |
| 16/09/23 | St. Johnstone 0-2 Rangers | Scottish Premiership |
| 28/01/23 | Rangers 2-0 St. Johnstone | Scottish Premiership |
| 21/01/23 | St. Johnstone 0-1 Rangers | Scottish Cup |