The starting lineup for Rangers’ Scottish Premiership matchup against Dundee on Saturday, December 9, at Ibrox, has been announced by manager Philippe Clement.
The club’s Twitter account [9 December] acknowledged that the injuries sustained in midweek compelled the manager of the Gers to make substitutions.
The main choice Clement had to make for Dundee’s visit was who would lead the line, with Danilo sidelined until the following season.
While there were rumors that Clement would move Abdallah Sima to center forward, Cyriel Dessers, whose Ibrox career is still in its early stages, was chosen to fill that role.
Dessers rejoins the team as one of five substitutions made from the 1-0 victory over Hearts on Wednesday, December 6. Rabbi Matondo also makes his first appearance in the starting lineup since September.
Along with them are John Souttar, Borna Barisic, and Jose Cifuentes. The latter takes the place of the injured Tom Lawrence, who will also be out until the new year.
Even with those injuries taken into account, Clement’s starting lineup is formidable, but choosing Dessers will be the one that attracts the greatest attention.
In just 12 Scottish Premiership games and 23 total games since his summer arrival, Dessers has managed just four goals.
With Matondo back in the lineup, it seemed like a smart decision to use Sima through the center, but the Senegalese international will still operate on the left. Todd Cantwell will be positioned in the number 10 spot once more, and Matondo will be on the right. Let’s just hope Clement doesn’t come to regret making the decision to stick with an erratic Dessers.
