The starting lineup Philippe Clement might choose to face the Czech team.
On Thursday night, Glasgow Rangers will play their fourth group stage encounter of the Europa League, against Sparta Prague.
In Philippe Clement’s first five competitive games as the team’s manager, the Light Blues have won all five, but the Belgian manager is now aiming for his first European victory in charge.
His team enters this match fresh from a 3-1 victory over Hearts in the League Cup semi-final, as two goals from James Tavernier and a goal from Scott Wright sealed the victory.
But, that triumph does not ensure that the same starting lineup will be used on Thursday. Below is a projected starting lineup for the game that features three team changes.
GK – Jack Butland
The number one goalkeeper for the Gers should continue to start since he has been playing at an incredible level since joining on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in the summer.
He should start in goal on Thursday after recording seven shutouts in 11 Premiership games and two clean sheets in three Europa League appearances.
RB – James Tavernier (C)
Dujon Sterling made his comeback from injury to start against Hearts as a substitute, but the captain of the Gers should start at right back in this match.
The English phenomo scored two of his team’s three goals in their most recent game, including a spectacular free kick into the upper corner. He is a serious goal threat.
CB – Connor Goldson
The former Brighton & Hove Albion defender ought to start at the center of the defense because of his strong play thus far in the Europa League campaign.
Goldson, who has a dominant duel success rate of 69% and three tackles and interceptions per game, has started all three of the club’s group games and has been a major contributor to their two clean sheets.
CB – Ben Davies
Ben Davies, a left-footed defender, might be the first of three players to enter the starting lineup in lieu of veteran star Leon Balogun.
Similar to Goldson, the 28-year-old fighter has made an impression by starting each of the team’s three group stage matches and demonstrating his worth for a spot on the squad.
| Statistic | Davies vs Sparta (26/10/2023) |
|---|---|
| Sofascore rating | 7.6 |
| Clearances | Seven |
| Blocks | Two |
| Key passes | Two |
| Duel success rate | 66.6% |
| Davies’ most recent Europa League performance (via Sofascore) | |
These numbers from Rangers’ most recent game against Sparta indicate that the defender gave a strong performance in the 0-0 draw to preserve the team’s clean sheet, and his strong defensive instincts set the stage for the other players to succeed.
LB – Borna Barisic
Borna Barisic, a left-back with the ability to create at the top of the pitch, is another player who might start in the lineup from the victory against Hearts.
Although he plays defense, the Croatian international is not limited to his own half. In two Europa League games this season, he has produced two chances per game, which is 0.5 more than any of his colleagues have.
DM – John Lundstram
The English wizard, who has been playing well in Europe this season, might start in the base of the midfield, just as he did against Hearts.
In his three Europa League games, Lundstram has produced two “big chances” and averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game, indicating that he has contributed on both ends of the field.
DM – Jose Cifuentes
Jose Cifuentes replacing Scotland international Ryan Jack as Lundstram’s starting partner would be the second of the three possible changes.
He hasn’t started a game under Clement, so this could be his chance to get into the starting lineup, especially since Rangers are playing at home and need to be attacking.
Cifuentes came at Ibrox after returning from his lone Europa League start against Betis with seven goals and six assists in 28 games for LAFC in the 2022 MLS season. His coach, Marc Dos Santos, praised him as “very dynamic.” Cifuentes completed two dribbles and created one chance.
In contrast, Jack has only played nine minutes of Europa League action this season and, in the Premiership, has averaged 0.3 dribbles and 0.6 critical passes per game. These statistics imply that Jack does not provide as much offensive quality as the Ecuadorian international.
RW – Ross McCausland
The risky move of starting Ross McCausland on the right side of the attack would be the third and last change the Belgian head coach could make.
After replacing Todd Cantwell at halftime in the match against Hearts—a move the manager later acknowledged was tactical—Scott Wright scored a spectacular goal to seal the victory, driving the ball into the bottom corner from the right side of the box.
Due to a muscular ailment, he is now a major doubt for the game. McCausland, a direct wide option, might replace him in place of Cantwell, who likes to drift into center positions to create opportunities.
The former Norwich City player may be dropped from the starting lineup in favor of the academy graduate, who can provide natural width on the right, as Wright demonstrated during his cameo against Hearts. The former City player has gone four games without a goal or an assist in all competitions.
