Hibernian vs Rangers preview: Steven Gerrard wants clinical edge from Gers trip
Friday 8 March 2019 06:28, UK
Steven Gerrard wants Rangers to be "more clinical" when they travel to Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership on Friday after the two sides drew 0-0 earlier this season.
The Rangers manager was "very pleased" with his side's performance in December, but this time he is looking for all three points to keep the pressure on Celtic, who are eight points ahead at the top of the table.
He said: "We are going for the points, the performance will be a bonus. I was speaking to Neil Lennon after the game, he was very impressed with the team. But you get nothing for that.
"We went away with one point when we should have gone away with three and that is the pressure we are under. We need to go there and try to find a performance that is capable of getting three rather than one.
"If we can hit those heights again and be a bit more clinical in front of goal, I am sure we will get what we are looking for out of the game."
Rangers will face a crunch Scottish Cup quarter-final clash against Aberdeen on Tuesday, but Hibernian manager Paul Heckingbottom does not expect many changes from Friday's opponents.
"They have hit a lot of form, scoring a lot of goals," he said. "I can't imagine Steven changing too much but he has got the capabilities to do that if he wants with the squad he has got and the players he has got competing for each position.
"But I don't think there will be too much different in the set-up and how he approaches the game and I wouldn't have thought too much difference in personnel."
Team news
Ryan Jack is a doubt for Rangers as is nursing a knock and will be assessed ahead of the trip to Edinburgh.
Defender Gareth McAuley has sustained a hamstring injury which required a scan while long-term absentees Jamie Murphy and Graham Dorrans (both knee) are continuing their rehabilitation work.
Opta stats
- Hibernian are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Rangers (W1 D3) since a 1-2 home defeat in December 2017.
- Hibs are the only Scottish opponent that Rangers have faced in all competitions under Steven Gerrard without yet winning, having drawn both meetings with them this season.
- Hibernian have won all three of their Scottish Premiership games under new boss Paul Heckingbottom and are looking to win four in succession for the first time since September-October 2018.
- Rangers are unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions (W7 D3), keeping a clean sheet in seven of those, including five of their last six.
- Rangers have scored 39 goals in the first half of their league games this season, more than any other Scottish Premiership side, with 10 of their last 13 such goals coming in the opening 45 minutes.
