Rangers v St Mirren: Time for Warburton’s men to step up
Published:
It’s all well and good Rangers making all the right moves and winning Cup games but now it is time for the talking to stop at Ibrox.
Rangers get their Ladbrokes Championship campaign underway with a real test of their promotion credentials.
The Glasgow club simply cannot spend another season outside the top flight, and while he may be new to the job, an opening day loss for Mark Warburton would attract unwanted attention.
They have already laid down a marker to their closest rivals Hibernian with their cup victory but the Gers can make a real statement with another success over a team many seem to have forgotten about.
St Mirren fell from the Premiership last term but with all the talk of a Glasgow/Edinburgh rivalry the 12/1 third favourites for the title have been all-but ignored.
Saints are 9/2 to rain on the parade at Ibrox but they haven’t won in front of the Blues faithful in 12 attempts. That would go partway to explaining Rangers’ price of 8/13 to get their title charge off on the right foot.
The home side are so confident of victory that they have even sold a player to The Buddies on the eve of the tie. Calum Gallagher has arrived in Paisley and could even make his debut against his former club, but clearly Warburton and Co do not fear a returning thorn.
A lack of goals was the issue for the away side last season, they scored just 30 times in the league. It seems they will be light up top again and unless young Gallagher can explode on to the scene then they will struggle to trouble a buoyant Gers outfit.
The signs are all there that The Teddy Bears are set to really take this league by the scruff of the neck and a commanding performance here will set the tone for the whole campaign.
Sponsors Ladbrokes are offering an enticing special for this Championship opener with Rangers to win and with teams to score boosted from 11/5 to 11/4.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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