Have Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso been given hope after Rangers win?

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Glasgow Rangers won their latest Scottish Premiership game, but the Ibrox side were not at their best.

Heading into Rangers’ clash with Hamilton Academical at the weekend, it seemed that signing Russell Martin on loan during the January transfer window was an excellent piece of business from the Gers.

Martin was impressive in the games preceding the clash with Accies, and looked as if he may be the ideal teammate to help David Bates realise his potential as they started to form a very good partnership in the weeks following his arrival at Ibrox.

However, his performance in the 5-3 win over Hamilton on Sunday may have given both Fabio Cardoso and Bruno Alves hope that the door may possibly be open for one of them to get back into the team.

Martin was not at his best in the dramatic victory and Graeme Murty may now be forgiven for wondering whether it is worth making a change for the game against Hearts – and for Cardoso and Alves, that may prove to be the opening that they may have worried may not have been coming their way anytime soon.

Alves – who has been injured recently – is yet to play since the resumption of the season, while Cardoso has not started in the league since the winter break, making one top flight appearance from the bench.

With Martin and Bates clearly Murty’s preferred pairing right now, it is surely fair to say that Cardoso or Alves must seize any opportunity they get with both hands – and after Martin’s display on Sunday, it may not be the greatest surprise if there is an opportunity for the Portuguese pair to stake a claim to earn a rare chance this weekend.