Aberdeen vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
PittodrieAttendance18,983.
Monday 4 December 2017 10:26, UK
Graeme Murty is set to take charge of his final game as Rangers caretaker boss on Sunday, as the Gers face against Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports Football.
Rangers were comfortable winners at Ibrox on Wednesday evening, as a James Tavernier double and a goal from Carlos Pena saw them halve the six-point lead the second-placed Dons possessed prior to kick-off.
Murty is expecting a strong response from their opponents.
"We expect them to be at the top of their game," Murty explained. "So, we have to expect a response. But we need to go above and beyond their level. The players need to get to the level they got to on Wednesday.
"The players answered a few questions from myself, the media, and the fans on Wednesday. Coming in and scoring a goal, I don't think a manager could ask any more of [Carlos Pena]."
Murty had stepped up from his role as U20s manager when Pedro Caixinha was sacked just over a month ago, but admitted that, with chairman Dave King stepping up his search for a new coach, he'd find it hard to manage another club when his temporary spell in charge is up.
He said: "Since I have come to this place I have been fascinated and not a little awestruck by the size and scale of the operation, the depth of feeling it engenders in its support and players. This is a very, very special club.
"So if I were to step into a different environment I'd have to feel that in a different way.
"But we have to make sure if it is my last game we go and give ourselves the very best chance for the football club to get a result, because it's about the club moving forward and leaving it in as good a state as possible."
Dons boss Derek McInnes has also called for an improvement from his players after the midweek defeat dented their hopes of mounting a serious title challenge.
He said: "Wednesday was a poor night for us, poor start got their tails up and by and large we were deservedly beaten. Nobody is moping around and our intention is to win on Sunday. We're sitting second and we want to try and stay as close to Celtic as we can.
"We've had some setbacks but also some consistency and that's why we're sitting second. Rangers were far livelier on Wednesday and it wasn't until the second half that we started to show what we are capable of.
"Sunday is an opportunity to show that we're better than we showed in midweek."
Rangers will leave it late before making a decision on Alfredo Morelos' fitness for Sunday's clash with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
The striker missed Wednesday night's win over Derek McInnes' team with a hip injury sustained in last week's loss to Dundee and faces a race against time to recover before the second leg of their Dons double-header this weekend.
Skipper Lee Wallace (groin) and midfielders Graham Dorrans (ankle) and Jordan Rossiter (knee) all still sidelined.
Aberdeen boss McInnes faces a selection headache for Rangers' visit. Playmaker Ryan Christie was sent-off towards the end of Wednesday night's Ibrox defeat and misses the showdown through suspension.
And Greg Tansey (groin) and Gary Mackay-Steven (knee) are both major doubts for the clash after picking up injuries in Govan.
