Rangers

• Rangers boss Derek McInnes has never lost as a manager at home to St Mirren in the top flight, winning 10 and drawing seven of 17 such games across spells with St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Hearts.

• St Mirren have won three consecutive away games in the Scottish Premiership, the first time they have done so in the top flight since May 2007 (also three in a row).

• Rangers have won 25 of their past 28 home games against St Mirren in all competitions (D2 L1), including 16 of their latest 17 (L1 – 2-0 in February 2025).

• St Mirren have lost three successive meetings with Rangers in all competitions, including a 5-1 League Cup defeat this season, after having been unbeaten in four against the Ibrox side beforehand (W2 D2).

• Rangers have only lost one of their past 13 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W9 D3), although that was their last at home, a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian in May.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dujon Sterling believes Rangers are in "a better place" after coming through a rocky start to the season to deliver three straight Premiership victories.

Wins away to Aberdeen and Falkirk and at home to Motherwell have steadied the ship after Rangers crashed out of Europe at the qualifying stage and began the league season with one point from two games.

"Obviously we all know Europe was disappointing at the start of the season," said defender Sterling.

"A lot of tough games, things weren't going our way or how we wanted it to. You're hurting but we're out of that now.

"There's that outside noise so you've got to stay together as a group. You've got to stick with it and just keep working hard every day. Now we're starting to see the results pick up and everyone's in a better place."

Following the departure of captain James Tavernier in the summer, Sterling is relishing a run in the team in his favoured right-back position.

"I've been playing right back since the start of the season, you can see that, obviously, you get a rhythm," he said.

"Your body just needs to play in that one position and that's where ideally I want to play since I've been here.

"Tav and me, we were thankful for the competition and then obviously doing my Achilles [which kept him out for seven months in 2025] meant I wasn't able to play twice a week. Whereas now I've basically played every game this season. I'm in a good place."

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Rangers striker Lawrence Shankland faces up to four months out with a hamstring tear. He joins Youssef Chermiti (knee) and Tuur Rommens (groin) on the sidelines.

Daisuke Yokota will have a scan on a groin problem and is expected to miss out, Kosta Nedeljkovic has a foot issue and will be assessed, while Badredine Bouanani could make his debut.

St Mirren midfielder Samuel Ramos is a doubt with a hamstring problem. Killian Phillips (shin), Liam Donnelly (abductor), Malik Dijksteel (hamstring), Keanu Baccus (Achilles) and Jonah Ayunga (knee) remain out.

We asked you how big a loss Lawrence Shankland will be after the Rangers striker was ruled out for three to four months with a hamstring injury.

Here are some of your comments:

Billy: Losing your main goal threat is a major blow. Yet again the team will have to adjust, with Kevin Kelsy new to the team. I think a difficult start just became even more so. I hope I'm wrong.

Stephen: It is a blow, as he was starting to bang the goals in for us. However, we have strikers that should get the goals for us, especially Bojan Miovski who knows what the Premiership is like having played for Aberdeen.

Peter: Don't overanalyse the loss of Shankland. He's not irreplaceable. Let's face it, he hasn't exactly broken any scoring records and is lazy off the ball. I'm sure we will have younger, more energetic players willing to make a name for themselves.

Jock: First Chermiti, then Shankland. Hope Kelsey will be the new hero or bring super Ally back?

Allan: It's time for the other strikers at Ibrox like Kelsy and Ryan Naderi to now step up and show what they're made of.

Image source, Getty Images

Rangers would need to pay at least £15m to sign Bologna and Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson in January. (Football Insider), external

Former Rangers captain James Tavernier's £11,500-per-week wages at Maccabi Tel Aviv make him the highest paid player in Israeli football. (Scottish Sun), external

Read the rest of Wednesday's Scottish gossip.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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John Souttar may yet leave Rangers in the short term, even though the transfer window has closed in Scotland.

The Scotland defender, 29, is under contract until next summer.

"I think he still can [make a contribution]," said Rangers manager Derek McInnes.

"The likelihood is that John's been told his long-term future would be best elsewhere.

"He still has good opportunities. There's still an opportunity to move. There's a couple of windows, a few windows still open across Europe and there is a few things looking possible for John.

"I don't want to speculate how much that is, but I think there one or two things that he's quite keen on and one or two things that's maybe gaining a wee bit of traction."

Souttar joined Rangers in 2022 and has made 132 appearances, scoring four times. He has 366 club games overall and has represented Scotland 24 times, being part of the squad that went to this year's World Cup.

And McInnes added: "There's still that possibility for John to go and get regular football and peace of mind.

"That might be the best option for him, but if he doesn't move and there isn't anything materialises then of course we honour the contract and he comes back into things."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before his side's Premiership meeting with St Mirren at Ibrox on Wednesday (19:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from his media conference:

• Lawrence Shankland has suffered a hamstring tear and will be sidelined for a number of months. "I think the best-case scenario is three months, probably the worst-case scenario in terms of time would be about four months," McInnes says.

• "He's actually in London now, he's getting an ultrasound scan, a follow-up scan, which is just to determine whether, with the specialist, he has surgery or whether we just let that heal naturally as it did the last time," McInnes adds.

• The Rangers manager believes he has enough firepower to cover Shankland's absence: "As you've seen even from Saturday [a 1-0 win over Motherwell], Ryan [Naderi] getting his goal, Kevin [Kelsy] getting introduced, we've got Bojan Miovski who knows his way about the Scottish Premiership as well, so it's not all doom and gloom on that front, but it is disappointing news."

• McInnes says three successive victories against Aberdeen, Falkirk and Motherwell has boosted the confidence of the players, though has not entirely lifted the pressure on them. "I don't think that ever lifts until you've got a trophy in your hand," he admits. "But I do think there's been a good feel about the place. What we have had in recent weeks is just small steps, encouragement, confidence levels."

• John Souttar could leave the club in the near future despite the Scottish transfer window closing. The Scotland defender has "been told his long-term future would be best served elsewhere" and McInnes adds: "There's still an opportunity to move. There's a few windows still open across Europe and there is a few things looking possible for John."

• Tuur Rommens is back in light training and targeting a return against Celtic for the Premiership match on 20 September. Kosta Nedeljkovic is nursing a foot injury and Daisuke Yokota is a doubt to face St Mirren as he struggles with a groin injury.

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Lawrence Shankland has been ruled out for up to four months - so how big a loss will he be to Rangers?

The new skipper and striker's hamstring injury blow is particularly cruel as it comes just as he was hitting form following a slow start to his Ibrox career.

Shankland's first seven Rangers appearances brought just one goal - a penalty at home to Jagiellonia Bialystok - two wins, a European exit and a heap of criticism as the Scotland international and Derek McInnes' team struggled.

However, in the next two outings Shankland came to life, netting a penalty winner at Aberdeen then a match-winning double at Falkirk.

As he joins long-term strike casualty Youssef Chermiti on the sidelines following his early withdrawal in Saturday's win over Motherwell, Shankland tops the Rangers scoring charts with four goals across all competitions.

He also leads the way for the club in the Premiership with three, outperforming his xG (expected goals) of 2.48.

Shankland was a clear focal point of McInnes' team. His seven shots on target in the league is the highest in the Rangers squad, same for his 14 efforts from inside the box.

He ranks second - behind winger Djeidi Gassama - for total shots (15) and touches inside the opposition box (34), while he has the joint-most flick-ons (six) with Ryan Naderi and has won possession 10 times.

Rangers fans, how big a concern is Shankland's absence? Do you have adequate cover in Naderi and new arrival Kevin Kelsy? Share your views here.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

Three wins, two clean sheets. The past week or so has been faultless results-wise for Derek McInnes.

However, the most intriguing aspect was how he wants this Rangers team to play. It is all about being compact and using the three behind the striker to hurt teams in transition.

We do not have the profile of midfielder to dominate the ball, but we have the wide players and attackers to hurt teams.

It's a shame for Lawrence Shankland to facing a spell out injured after beginning to find form with three goals in two games.

However, the additions of Badredine Bouanani and Kevin Kelsy on deadline day will help with our attacking options.

The transfer window overall was okay, but we can't be making bold statements on the back of three wins against teams Rangers should be beating. Having said that, it feels like a small step in the right direction.

Two home games this week provides the chance to keep momentum growing. Will midweek visitors St Mirren continue to play the way they did the last time they were at Ibrox? I hope so because it will make for a good game.

And Sunday's Old Firm derby takes on extra significance because it's the first of a double-header. Last season in this scenario we lost both. I think the goodwill McInnes is building will go south if he doesn't achieve two wins this week.

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Nick Walsh has been confirmed as the referee for the first Old Firm derby of the season on Sunday as Rangers and Celtic vie for a League Cup semi-final place.

Walsh will be assisted at Ibrox by Daniel McFarlane and Frank Connor, with Kevin Clancy the fourth official.

Andrew Dallas is on Video Assistant Referee duty, supported by Steven McLean.

Walsh took charge of two Old Firm derbies last season, with Celtic winning the League Cup semi-final 3-1 after extra time at Hampden in November - where Thelo Aasgaard was sent off in the first half - before a crucial 3-1 league win at Celtic Park in May.

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Former Rangers captain James Tavernier made a winning start to his Maccabi Tel Aviv career after being immediately pitched in for a debut on Monday night.

Tavernier, 34, signed for the Israeli club - managed by former Ibrox team-mate Kenny Miller - earlier in the day before starting in the 4-1 victory at Hapoel Beer Sheva.

That made it three league wins from three for the club Tavernier has moved to after 11 years with Rangers.

The right-back stressed the importance of playing in front of a big support and fighting for titles after completing his switch.

"It is a great honour to join a club with history and tradition like Maccabi Tel Aviv," Tavernier said.

"Coming to a new country and getting to know a different culture and environment is something I have always wanted to do during my career, so I am very excited.

"I have heard a lot about the club from Kenny Miller, about the ambitions, about the desire to win titles and of course about the Maccabi fans and the atmosphere they create.

"After playing for years at a big club, I know how important the support of the fans is and how much it can give a boost to the team.

"Maccabi is a club that wants to win, to fight for titles, and that is exactly what you want as a player."

Former Belgium player Philippe Albert questions why countryman Nicolas Raskin, 25, is still at Rangers. (Record - subscription required, external)

Frosinone president Maurizio Stirpe says he wanted to sell Celtic and Rangers target Fares Ghedjemis, 24, this summer but the club's American owners blocked a potential transfer for the Algeria winger. (Daily Record - subscription required, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell says the club's big-money signing Kevin Kelsy must step up in Lawrence Shankland's absence.

Scotland striker Shankland went off in the early stages of Saturday's 1-0 win over Motherwell, with manager Derek McInnes later saying it appears to be a "significant" hamstring injury.

Shankland was replaced by Ryan Naderi, who scored Rangers' winner against the Steelmen, but Bell believes it will be Kelsy - signed from Portland Timbers on deadline day for a reported fee of £9m - who McInnes trusts to lead the line.

"You pay £9m for Kelsy, so you naturally think that he's going to be the one that's going to come in," Bell said, speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It's not an ideal scenario for McInnes and Rangers. They would have wanted to allow a little bit of time for Kelsy to find his feet in Scottish football and at Rangers. He's not going to get that now.

"Shankland's two goals against Falkirk were excellent and he had just started to find his rhythm. His injury offered the opportunity for Naderi to come on and he grabbed that goal on Saturday.

"But you'd think Kelsy is going to be the one that will have to step up to the plate and score important goals because you can't rely on Shankland for now."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Scott Bain (Falkirk): Will he be Sebastien Pocognoli's Scotland number one? He did himself no harm against Dundee United.

Dujon Sterling (Rangers): Strong showing from the versatile defender in the weekend win over Motherwell.

Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic): Another impressive display at the back, winning 12 of his 14 duels in the victory at St Mirren.

Michael Forbes (Dundee United): Big goal to earn a point against Falkirk at Tannadice.

Jordi Altena (Hearts): A fine display at Tynecastle. Brave on the ball and at his best getting forward in the comeback win over Dundee.

Dan Neil (Rangers): Maybe his best game for Rangers since joining the club; good on and off the ball.

Jason Holt (St Johnstone): A 95% passing completion rate from the evergreen midfielder against Hibernian.

Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic): Another goal to underline his growing importance to this Celtic side.

Camilo Duran (Celtic): Perhaps the signing of the season so far - the Colombian always makes things happen and proved his worth again in Paisley.

Josh Fowler (St Johnstone): Both goals to sink Hibs from the former Queen's Park man; on another day he could have had a hat-trick.

Djeidi Gassama (Rangers): A tremendous display overall from a player who might finally be finding consistency at Ibrox.

Striker Bojan Miovski, who had been linked with a move away from Rangers, issues a statement to clarify that he is not represented by any agent or football agency. (Glasgow Times), external

Besiktas will likely face competition from the Premier League if they renew their interest in Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin in January. (Football Insider), external

Read the rest of Monday's Scottish gossip.

Watch all the highlights as Ryan Naderi helped Rangers to a narrow victory at home to Motherwell. Available to UK users only.

Rangers fans, we asked for your opinions on the 1-0 win over Motherwell on Saturday afternoon. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Alex: It was a laboured victory but really should have been an easy 5-0 or 6-0. Poor finishing and last-ditch defending ensured a nervy final 10 minutes. Better defensive display but really need to convert the chances, especially penalties and open goals.

Greig: Will take the win but not a convincing performance, so many chances gone a begging. The final score should have been 4-0. The next step is to win by more than one goal as that game could have easily ended in a draw.

Graeme: Still not impressed by the performance. Djeidi Gassama was a bright spark. Better finishing and the game could have been won much earlier. Another injury just sums up being a Rangers fan right now - infuriating!

Sally: This was always the danger of bringing in Lawrence Shankland. As an older and more experienced striker he was susceptible to injury. Given time, Kevin Kelsey and Ryan Naderi might form a partnership. Woeful finishing will cost Rangers dearly.

Stuart: Better team performance with the players looking after each other. Should have been a comfortable win but if we keep making chances I'm sure the goals will come. I don't think the team have total faith in Emmanuel Fernandez, hopefully he can gain their confidence by improving his concentration levels. Let's hope this is the start of better times ahead.

Arthur: Rangers' three wins on the spin have all been unconvincing. Penalties, offside goals and sendings off all contributed to preventing the league being over in August. With Shankland and Youssef Chermiti out, a bleak winter of discontent awaits Rangers.

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Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez feels the togetherness is building at Ibrox after a tricky start to the new season.

Derek McInnes' side made it three Premiership wins in a row with Saturday's 1-0 victory at home to Motherwell.

Rangers initially struggled under the new manager - a defeat in Europa League qualifying to Jagiellonia Bialystok was sandwiched between an opening day draw at Dundee United and a defeat at home to Hibs.

But Fernandez feels things are finally turning for the Glasgow club.

"I feel like the togetherness is getting better," Fernandez said.

"Maybe our performances haven't been better from the Aberdeen game, but as we've grown as a team, we've got that togetherness. And I feel like we're growing, and I still think there's more to come.

"Obviously we had a bad start not being in Europe. It was difficult. So the manager showed us that there's still three trophies that are available to win, and we have a domestic charge where we have the possibility of doing something great.

"I feel like him showing us that and showing us how we need to get the fans behind us is the positivity he has brought.

"And within the team, the togetherness, the leadership groups, the leaders within the group, is something that the manager has brought to the team."

The centre-back also shared his relief at the end of the summer transfer window, with the likes of Belgium midfielder Nico Raskin remaining at the club.

"Everything settles around the club," he added.

"All the anxiety of what's going on settles and I feel like that's where the team understands that this person is going to be beside them the next game, and this person is going to be here for the foreseeable future.

"And I feel like that's what you need as a team. Uncertainty over who's going to be here is a bit difficult."

Rangers' kit manufacturer Castore has received several takeover approaches and is considering a sale. (Sky News), external

Former Rangers midfielder Brahim Hemdani has been appointed Algeria manager. (Glasgow Times), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.