Partick Thistle vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
The Energy Check Stadium at FirhillAttendance8,264.
Friday 15 September 2017 07:52, UK
Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha has urged his side to show "total respect" to Partick Thistle when they meet on Friday evening in the Scottish Premiership.
Gers travel to the newly-renamed Energy Check Stadium at Firhill on Friday night to face a Jags squad who have taken just a single point from the first 15 available.
While only goal difference is keeping Thistle off bottom spot, Rangers can go top of the Premiership for a few hours at least with victory in Maryhill.
But even though results have not gone their way, Caixinha is wary of Alan Archibald's men.
He said: "I'm not looking at that situation. When I analyse the team, of course, we need to understand the moment that the teams are passing, but normally I don't go to watch them on the position they are in the table.
"To be honest, after our match against Dundee I didn't care about our position in the table, as long as you win on the match days you know that your result is going to be the most important."
"I went to watch their first match at Easter Road. I went there to watch Hibs but I also watched Partick and it's one team that is having a positive approach to the game.
"It's quite understandable the way, if you watch them in two or three matches like we did, you understand the ideas that Archibald is having for the team.
"It's one team that is playing positive. They have good players, they are strong on set-pieces and they have players who can decide a match.
"So we need to have that in consideration rather than the position or the start they have in the league and show all respect, total respect, to the opponent."
Rangers have put their own slow start to the campaign behind them with back-to-back wins over Ross County and Dundee
And, after facing Partick in the league, they travel to Firhill again next Tuesday in the Betfred Cup quarter-final, before turning their attentions to the opening Old Firm game of the season against Celtic on September 23.
Caixinha has a fully-fit squad to choose from, with left-back Declan John still waiting to make his Gers debut after sealing a Deadline Day move from Cardiff.
Partick have lost five of their last six Scottish Premiership games on a Friday (W1).
Rangers have won all 10 of their Scottish Premiership encounters with Partick, scoring exactly twice in each of the last five victories.
Blair Spittal has been involved in three of the Jags' last four league goals (one goal, two assists).
Alfredo Morelos has scored five goals in his first four league starts for Rangers, including a double in each of his last two matches.
The Gers have won their last five away top-flight games, their best run since winning 14 in a row between March and October 2011.
