Rangers will look to extend their winning run in the Scottish Premiership when they welcome St Mirren to Ibrox Stadium on Saturday. The hosts currently sit second in the standings with 56 points from 26 matches, aiming to close the gap at the top, which is currently occupied by Celtic with 69 points. Meanwhile, the visitors occupy sixth place with 31 points from the same number of games.
After suffering from the shock of losing 1-0 to Queen’s Park, which scuttled their hopes for domestic glory, Rangers managed to bounce back with a convincing 3-1 victory against Hearts last weekend. This result eased some pressure off their beleaguered manager Philippe Clement, who has been facing scrutiny for the team's recent performances.
Interestingly, the discussions surrounding the potential takeover bid by NFL franchise, the San Francisco 49ers, have shifted some of the focus off Clement. Nonetheless, the emphasis will undoubtedly return to the pitch as they seek to assert their dominance against St Mirren, who previously inflicted a 2-1 defeat on the Ibrox side during their last encounter on Boxing Day.
The upcoming clash at Ibrox Stadium has been scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, with the kickoff set for 3 PM GMT. Yet, interestingly, the match won't be available for live TV coverage this weekends. Highlights will be aired on BBC Scotland's Sportscene at 7:15 PM, with repeats later on BBC One Scotland.
For international viewers, Rangers TV and St Mirren TV will provide live streams of the match, but there is no pay-per-view option available within the UK. This lack of broadcasting might disappoint some fans eager to catch their teams live.
Rangers will be without defender John Souttar, who is sidelined with injury. On the bright side, Danilo is back and available for selection, bringing some much-needed depth to the squad. Oscar Cortes, being back in training, still has some way to go before he returns, meanwhile, Leon Balogun, Connor Barron, Dujon Sterling, and Neraysho Kasanwirjo will remain unavailable due to various injuries.
St Mirren, on the other hand, faces their own challenges as they head to Ibrox. Their attacker Evan Mooney will miss the match due to ankle injury. The return of Alex Iacovitti from illness is timely, though they will still miss Conor McMenamin due to his calf issue. St Mirren are hoping for some positive momentum being without a win in their last three games—having only registered one defeat and two draws over the same period, which certainly plays on their confidence heading up against one of the league’s tougher opponents.
Refereeing duties will fall to Kevin Clancy, with Grant Irvine acting as VAR. Rangers currently hold the historical advantage against St Mirren, having recorded 101 wins, with 23 draws and only 8 defeats from 132 home encounters. Overall, of the 265 matches played between these clubs, Rangers have triumphed 180 times, which presents them as formidable foes for St Mirren.
Rangers can also draw confidence from their undefeated home record this season, which places them firmly as the favorites going forward. They currently boast five consecutive wins within the Scottish Premiership, keeping pressure on their rivals as they seek to bridge the gap with Celtic.
Despite recent struggles, it will be interesting to see how St Mirren's fortunes turn around as they continue to vie for higher positions within the league. An upset against Rangers could be just what they need to spark some much-needed positive results.
Fans tuning in for this match can expect some tense moments as both teams seek to assert their authority on the game. Be sure to catch highlights on local news broadcasts afterward to relive the exciting action as it transpires at Ibrox!