Rangers team v Celtic: Ramsey starting position, Morelos replacement, backline decision - is this the Rangers line-up?

Rangers find themselves in an awkward spot going into Sunday’s derby hosting. Giovanni van Bronckhorst must be prepared to take risks to extricate them from it.

Clawing back the three-point advantage that weekend visitors Celtic hold over them in the title race can hardly be presented as daunting. But the situation would nudge towards those realms were their bitter rivals to depart Ibrox even with that lead simply intact. In the six rounds of matches that will close out a compelling cinch Premiership, Celtic are certain to face four home encounters as Rangers must negotiate four away - including a trip to a Parkhead, where they were beaten 3-0 in February. In short, Sunday’s meeting of Scotland’s big two is one in which van Bronckhorst’s men must post a big win.

As a result, the Dutchman must be willing to take a couple of gambles in his team selection as he wrestles with a number of issues. Chief among these is deciding whether to give Aaron Ramsey his head and build his side around the Welsh captain. On balance, he probably should. As an elite performer, the 31-year-old was brought to Rangers on loan from Juventus in January to make a decisive impact. The Ibrox club require him to deliver on that objective this weekend. Ramsey’s fitness will always be a concern but his sharpness will have improved through starting in the win away to Dundee a fortnight ago, before playing a crucial role over the full 90 minutes in his country’s 2-1 World Cup play-off semi-final win against Austria last Thursday.

It would seem likely that van Bronckhorst will set out his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ramsey fits for the central figure in the three. It is a major blow Alfredo Morelos won’t be in front of him as the central striker.