GVB must unleash "old-school" £22k-p/w Rangers destroyer who's on a "continued rise" - opinion

Rangers can seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League this evening as the Ibrox side look to build on their 3-0 advantage heading into the match.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men romped to a win last time out in Europe, with goals from James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Leon Balogun handing them a healthy lead going into the second leg.

The club’s most recent match, however, was a 3-0 win in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup last weekend. Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Fashion Sakala all found the back of the net in the rout.

What changes could the head coach make from that cup clash?

One player he must unleash after leaving him on the bench against Dundee FC is central midfielder John Lundstram.

The £22k-per-week enforcer watched on from the dugout as Rangers deployed a 3-5-2 formation with James Sands operating as a centre-back.

Van Bronckhorst must now drop Sands out in order to revert back to a 4-3-3 and bring Lundstram into the middle of the park alongside Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara. His battling out of possession and his calmness on the ball will be crucial to seeing this tie out and that is why he has to start against Red Star Belgrade tonight.

His former manager, Chris Wilder, was recently effusive in his praise of the Gers destroyer, saying:

“He can play in a two or a three in midfield and he’s old-school. He’s like a throwback to Robson. He can pass it, he can head it, he can tackle and he can get in the box to score. He can do everything.

“But we seem to have got away from this notion of just being a good, proper midfield player. That’s what John is.”

Journalist Andrew Dickson claimed, last month, that Lundstram is on a “continued rise” at Ibrox and we are backing him to be given another chance