Does Umar Sadiq deserve a chance to play for Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers today?
Speaking to Rangers TV on Friday, Gary McAllister cast doubt on Kyle Lafferty’s chances of facing St Mirren this afternoon.
According to McAllister, the Northern Ireland international, who joined Rangers this past summer, has a “niggle” and it remains to be seen whether manager Steven Gerrard plays him.
The Gers, who sit sixth in the Scottish Premiership and eight points behind Hearts at the summit, can ill afford to fall further adrift, but it might not be worth risking Lafferty, who has three goals in four Premiership starts since returning to Ibrox.
With that in mind, you wonder whether Gerrard could name Umar Sadiq on the bench at the very least.
Alfredo Morelos will almost certainly start up front for Rangers today, but it’s worth keeping Sadiq in the matchday squad.
The 21-year-old, on a season-long loan from Roma, seemed to blow his big chance when Gerrard started him in Rangers’ League Cup semi-final defeat by Aberdeen last week – his first game since August – before being omitted from the squad three days later in the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock.
But the big Nigerian striker – who earns around £6k-a-week in Italy [Calciomercato] – did show glimpses of his talent and if Lafferty isn’t around, Gerrard must name him in the 18 at least.
If the Northern Irishman is out, and Sadiq isn’t included, then you wonder what that could mean for his future in Glasgow. It wouldn’t look good at all.
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