Glasgow Rangers have the League Cup semi-final looming, but the Ibrox side will be without two of their key strikers for the game.
One of the key questions facing Steven Gerrard over the next couple of weeks is who is going to lead the line for Rangers in their Scottish League Cup semi-final with Aberdeen next weekend.
Alfredo Morelos is suspended and Kyle Lafferty is cup-tied for the trip to Hampden Park. Having neither man available for the game is a huge blow for Gerrard’s side.
Umar Sadiq is seemingly going to do incredibly well to get near the first-team during the remaining months of his loan spell, so unless Gerrard takes a massive gamble on one of the young players, it appears that one member of his squad is going to have to be deployed in an unfamiliar role.
Eros Grezda is certainly one contender. The summer signing is yet to make his full debut for the Gers, but has got experience of playing as a striker and his slow start would be completely forgotten if he could help the side to the final later this year.
But perhaps the man that Gerrard should turn to is actually Ryan Kent. The Liverpool loanee has been superb lately, and got his rewards for his bright form with a goal in the 3-1 win over Hearts.
Kent is now looking like the kind of player that should be right at the top of Gerrard’s wishlist in January or next summer – he has already admitted that he would like to sign him permanently (via The Scottish Sun) – and, like Grezda, he has some experience of leading the line, though considerably less experience than the Albania international.
The winger appears to have the credentials to be deployed as something of a false nine, dragging defenders out of the back line and creating space for his teammates that he could also exploit with his explosive pace.
With players such as Scott Arfield and Daniel Candeias rushing on, Rangers could still cause Aberdeen plenty of problems, even if they are not the same kind of problems that Morelos causes.
It is a roll of the dice, but Gerrard does not have too many options at this stage. And what an incredible statement it would send out to their rivals if Rangers can reach the final without their two first-choice strikers.
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