Rangers v Ross County preview: Graeme Murty focused on the football as Gers remain managerless
Friday 8 December 2017 15:10, UK
Graeme Murty says he will be focused on the football as Rangers remain managerless heading into Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash with Ross County.
The caretaker boss has been in charge since Pedro Caixinha's sacking six weeks ago, with Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes ruling himself out of the running this week.
But despite the ongoing search off the field, Murty says he will be concentrating on the football side of things as his side welcome Owen Coyle's Ross County this weekend.
"I will just crack on and do my job. It is for other people to decide what level I am capable of operating at. The board leave me to get on with the football business. I have had a fantastic level of support from Stewart [Robertson, managing director] and Mark [Allen, director of football]," he told a pre-match press conference.
"The players have to go and match and exceed the standards they set against Aberdeen. All they have to worry about is going and doing the business on the pitch."
But Ross County midfielder Jim O'Brien is to "prove people wrong" when they travel to Ibrox this weekend, despite being on a run of three games without a win.
He said: "We fully expect them to be favourites and to be right at it. They had a good week last week and their supporters will be expecting them to go and make it three on the trot.
"We have seen teams similar to ourselves go there and get results and we think we can go there and cause problems. We go in as underdogs and nobody expects you to get anything, and it's nice to prove people wrong sometimes."
Team news
Rangers will be without Ryan Jack for the clash at Ibrox after he lost an appeal against a red card he received against Aberdeen last weekend and will miss the first of three matches on Saturday.
Bruno Alves (knee) is back after missing the Aberdeen clash while Danny Wilson has shaken off the head knock which forced him off at half-time last Sunday.
Skipper Lee Wallace (groin) has rejoined his team-mates for training but is not quite ready for a return to action while midfielders Graham Dorrans (ankle) and Jordan Rossiter (knee) will see specialists as Rangers search for an answer to their injury woes.
Ross County manager Coyle is waiting on the fitness of two key players ahead of Saturday's trip. Andrew Davies (calf) and Jim O'Brien (hamstring) will be monitored and a late decision will be made.
Scott Fox is pushing Aaron McCarey for a starting spot after playing for the development side following injury.
Opta stats
These sides have faced off four times in the Scottish Premiership; the first three games were drawn, while Rangers won 3-1 last time out in August.
The Gers have lost one of their last four league games at Ibrox (W2 D1), after losing three of the previous five (W1 D1).
The Staggies have won just one of their last six on the road in this competition (D2 L3), after winning three of their previous four (D1).
After scoring six goals in his first six league games for Rangers, Alfredo Morelos has failed to score in any of his following eight games in the competition.
Rangers have conceded a higher percentage of goals from set-pieces (38.9) than any other side in the Scottish Premiership.
