Dorrans has been sidelined by injury of late, but made his Rangers return last month.
Rangers fans were delighted when Steven Gerrard took the bull by the horns in the summer, bringing in 15 new players on permanent deals or loans. But Gerrard will now be learning that keeping the entire squad happy is tough.
His new-look Rangers side have begun the 2018-19 campaign in impressive fashion, reaching the semi-final of the League Cup and the Europa League group stages.
Adding 15 new players, including stars such as Kyle Lafferty, Allan McGregor and Ryan Kent, has seen the Gers prove to be much more defensively solid while they remain just as pungent going forward.
But those who have remained from last season will now be second best to Rangers’ newest members, especially those who have been on the treatment table for some while.
Graham Dorrans will be worried more than most over his Rangers future. Brought to the club by Pedro Caixinha in the summer of 2017, the midfielder hit the ground running before suffering an ankle injury that has dogged him until now.
Indeed, he returned towards the end of last season but was still far from 100 per cent. Making his first appearance under Gerrard as a substitute against Villarreal and then getting half an hour against St. Johnstone, Dorrans will have been delighted.
But away to Livingston, the former Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion playmaker did not even find himself in the 18-man squad. One of the highest earners, Dorrans simply has not proven his worth so far.
Gerrard boasts plenty of options in the middle of the park in the likes of Ovie Ejaria, Andy Halliday, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Jordan Rossiter, Ross McCrorie and Lassana Coulibaly.
On his day, he is excellent. But has Dorrans’ day passed? With less than two years remaining on his contract, the ball-playing maestro – who cost £1.5m and plenty in wages (Scottish Sun) – is in danger of becoming an expensive flop.
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