Steven Gerrard’s Rangers host Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, aiming to end a three-game winless streak.
The Gers’ 2-1 victory over Hearts a fortnight ago carried them to the top of the table, but a subsequent defeat at home to Aberdeen was followed by a thoroughly disappointing 1-1 draw against Dundee last Sunday.
On Thursday, the negative trend continued as they were dumped out of Europe by Rapid Vienna, but against a struggling Accies side they are expected to find their feet once more.
| Game | Rangers vs Hamilton Academical |
| Date | Sunday, December 16 |
| Time | 3pm GMT / 10am ET |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be streamed live online via Rangers TV.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | Rangers TV |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will not be broadcast or streamed live.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Rangers squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | McGregor, Foderingham, McCrorie |
| Defenders | Tavernier, Goldson, Flanagan, Ross McCrorie, Katic, Bradley, Barisic, Worrall, McAuley |
| Midfielders | Dorrans, Jack, Ejaria, Halliday, Coulibaly, Kent, Arfield, Kelly, Grezda |
| Forwards | Candeias, Morelos, Lafferty, Middleton |
Rangers have a raft of problems ahead of Sunday’s game, with leading attacker Alfredo Morelos set for the stands as he serves the second of a two-game ban.
Lee Wallace, Jamie Murphy and Graham Dorrans are long-term absentees, while Ryan Kent’s return to action has been pushed back.
Daniel Candeias returns after a European suspension.
On-loan Liverpool player Ovie Ejaria is "slightly unsettled", according to Gerrard, who has left him out of the last two squads.
Umar Sadiq, meanwhile, has left the club after a disastrous loan spell from Roma.
Possible Rangers starting XI: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Worrall, Halliday; Jack, Arfield, Coulibaly; Candeias, Lafferty, Grezda
| Position | Hamilton squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Woods, Mucha, Fulton, Marsden |
| Defenders | Tshiembe, Kilgannon, McMann, Gogic, Penny, Want, Sowah, McGowan, Gordon |
| Midfielders | Taiwo, Mackinnon, Martin, Monlouis, Kelly, Smith |
| Forwards | Imrie, Ogboe, Boyd, Brustad, Bingham, Keatings, Miller, Bloomfield |
Hamilton go into this game without injured duo Alexandros Gogic and Marios Ogboe.
Manager Martin Canning has doubts over goalkeepers Jan Mucha and Gary Woods.
Possible Hamilton starting XI: Marsden; McGowan, Gordon, Kilgallon, Sowah; Taiwo, Mackinnon, Imrie; Miller, Brustad, Bingham
Betting & Match Odds
Rangers are favourites to win according to bet365, who give odds of 1/6 on a victory for the Gers. Hamilton are rated 12/1 to win and a draw is available at 13/2.
Match Preview
Rangers defied expectations in Europe this season by reaching the Europa League group stage and being extremely competitive once there in a tough pool.
Only in the final seven minutes – after Dejan Ljubicic had put Rapid Vienna ahead and pushed the win Steven Gerrard’s men required out of reach – were their hopes forlorn.
The former Liverpool man wants the board to back him in the January transfer window to add more depth in the squad, as the absences of Daniel Candeias and Ryan Kent from the midweek squad were keenly felt.
“With what we had available tonight, I thought everyone gave an almighty effort and I think it is very hard for me to criticise the players for what they gave,” he told the BBC after the midweek match.
“I think, if you analyse the journey as a whole, the players have done fantastically well, but the reality is, at this level, we've fell a little bit short and that is my job to try and address that.”
Gerrard’s attentions now have to turn back to the arguably more important task of competing with Celtic in Scotland, with his side lagging their Glasgow rivals by two points having played one match more.
If they are to sustain a title challenge until the conclusion of the season, fixtures like Sunday’s against Hamilton are those they must win.
Accies approach the game just four points above the relegation playoff spot, having suffered successive defeats against Dundee and Hibs.
“We're just not clinical at both ends of the pitch, whether it's scoring goals or that bit of composure or a bit of quality at the back,” manager Martin Canning grumbled after last weekend’s loss to the Edinburgh club, doubtless aware that he needs his side to be at their full capacity if they are to take anything from Ibrox this time around.
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