'He will...' - Pundit backs Clement to make Tavernier call for Rangers clash v Kilmarnock

Derek Ferguson has backed Philippe Clement to start James Tavernier again for Rangers’ clash with Kilmarnock.

The Light Blues travel to Rugby Park for their first game after the international break on Sunday (20 October) as they look to close the gap to Celtic and Aberdeen at the top of the Premiership table.

While some fans have called for Clement to start Neraysho Kasanwirjo ahead of Tavernier because of his recent poor performances, Open Goal pundit Ferguson expects the Gers boss to stand by his captain on Sunday.

Speaking on the Open Goal YouTube channel (17 October, 1:07:35) he said: “He will go with the same back four again.

“He’ll play Tav again, he’ll play [John] Souttar, [Robin] Propper, Jefte and it will be [Connor] Barron and [Mohamed] Diomande.”

What has happened to James Tavernier at Rangers and Ibrox this season?

While Tavernier has been an everpresent under Clement at Ibrox, it does feel as though the time may well have come for the Englishman to be rested and rotated out of the starting XI.

The Gers skipper is still capable of producing a moment of magic that can unlock a defence in an instant, but he is also just as likely to lose track of his man at the back post and hand the opposition a goal.

Rugby Park is by no means an easy place to go. Last season, Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock side caused both Rangers and Celtic loads of problems and it would be naive to assume the same won’t happen again this term.

Clement simply cannot afford to take any risks, particularly as he looks to drag the Light Blues back into the title race and starting Tavernier ahead of Kasanwirjo is a risk he doesn’t have to take.

Hopefully, Ferguson’s prediction will be wide of the mark and Tavernier will be dropped to the bench for Sunday afternoon’s clash. That will at least leave Clement with an ace up his sleeve if the Gers are chasing the game.

In other Rangers news, Clement is set to breathe a sigh of relief after a new Connor Barron update away from Ibrox

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