Glasgow Rangers welcome Motherwell to Ibrox in their 34th Scottish Premiership game of the season in the hunt to win their first title since the 2020/21 campaign.
Danny Rohl’s team will need to be wary of the attacking threat that the opposition will pose this afternoon, particularly with centre-forward Tawanda Maswanhise.
The Zimbabwe international has scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 33 appearances for Motherwell in the league this season, scoring more than any other player in the division.
Meanwhile, no Rangers player has scored more than 11 goals in the league for Rohl, which suggests that Maswanhise will be the biggest goal threat on the pitch at Ibrox.
There is a world in which the Light Blues go into this match with the former Leicester prospect in their team, though, after reported interest at the start of the year.
What was said about Rangers’ interest in signing Tawanda Maswanhise
Towards the end of the January transfer window, it was reported that Glasgow Rangers were one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Maswanhise.
|
25/26 Premiership |
Tawanda Maswanhise |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
|
xG |
13.43 |
|
Goals |
17 |
|
Minutes per goal |
145 |
|
Big chances created |
4 |
|
Assists |
2 |
The Gers and Celtic were both said to be eyeing up the 23-year-old marksman ahead of the final days of the transfer window to bolster their respective attacks.
Motherwell demanded £5m for his signature at the time of that reported interest and the forward ended up staying at the club beyond the transfer deadline.
Despite his impressive goal output, neither Rangers nor Celtic pushed hard enough to convince Motherwell to cash in on their top goalscorer, and the Gers went on to sign Ryan Naderi from Hansa Rostock instead.
The German striker is injured for this clash with Motherwell, unfortunately, but there is another Light Blues star who could be unleashed as Rohl’s own version of Maswanhise.
The Rangers star who could be Danny Rohl’s own Tawanda Maswanhise
In the 6-3 win over Falkirk last time out, Mikey Moore struggled in the first half before coming off at half-time when his side were 2-1 down, and he could boldly drop out of the starting line-up on Sunday, despite starting 21 of 28 league appearances so far.
Rohl could replace the Tottenham Hotspur loanee by switching formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2, as he did at half-time against Falkirk, by bringing Bojan Miovski in at striker and moving Thelo Aasgaard out wide.
|
Last 2 Premiership games |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Miovski |
Vs Dundee United |
Vs Falkirk |
|
Minutes |
16 |
45 |
|
xG |
0.17 |
1.56 |
|
Shots |
1 |
2 |
|
Goals |
1 |
2 |
|
Key passes |
0 |
2 |
|
Passes completed |
1/1 |
6/9 |
The North Macedonia international has come off the bench to score three goals in the last two matches in the Premiership, scoring twice against Falkirk and once against Dundee United.
Miovski has now scored five goals in his last eight appearances and eight goals in his last 13 games for the Light Blues, whilst he has racked up 13 goals in 38 matches in all competitions.
The former Aberdeen star is finally hitting his stride at Ibrox and it has come at the perfect time, in the midst of a title fight, which is why he should be brought into the XI to start alongside Youssef Chermiti against Motherwell.
Miovski can be Rohl’s own version of Maswanhise with the way that he can finish chances at a clinical rate, having scored seven goals from 5.99 xG in the Premiership.
The Rangers striker has not been as consistent as the Motherwell star, hence his tally of only seven league goals, but he is just as good as him on current form.
Maswanhise has scored four goals in his last eight games for his club, whilst Miovski has scored five in his last eight, and this means that the Gers man could enter Sunday’s game even in hotter form if he is selected as a starter.
After Moore’s struggles against Falkirk last time out, Rohl could drop the winger from the team to unleash Miovski and Chermiti as a dangerous front two against Motherwell.
Maswanhise is a terrific player, which is why Rangers wanted to sign him in the January transfer window, but the Light Blues may be able to unleash their own version of him this weekend, and he may be even more effective in front of goal.
Rohl personally wants Rangers to sign midfielder as they brace for Raskin exit
The Belgian will attract plenty of interest this summer.