'Heard that one before' - Alan Rough questions manager comments pre-Rangers v Motherwell

Alan Rough has questioned Stuart Kettlewell’s comments regarding his side’s injury list ahead of the Rangers versus Motherwell match.

Kettlewell said earlier this week that he is struggling to prepare his team for Saturday’s (10 August) Scottish Premiership clash at Hampden Park.

In quotes relayed by Football Scotland [8 August], the Motherwell manager revealed that as many as eight first-team players could be absent.

However, goalkeeper-turned-pundit Rough does not expect that to be entirely true.

Speaking on PLZ Soccer’s Saturday Morning Preview Show [10 August, 0m 59s], Rough said: “I’ve heard that one before.

“Then all of a sudden you see the team line up the next day and all of a sudden it’s not eight out, it’s just four.

“I don’t care who’s injured and who isn’t injured. It’s Rangers’ first game at Hampden and everyone will be buzzing to play in a full stadium.”

Rough went on to predict a 3-0 victory for Rangers.

Rangers should be too strong for Motherwell regardless

Even if Motherwell have a fully-fit squad to choose from, this is a game Rangers should be taking all three points from.

On the back of last week’s stalemate with Hearts, coupled with Celtic’s 4-0 win over Kilmarnock, the pressure is already on.

That may sound ridiculous a week into the season, but falling four or five points behind Celtic at this stage will be a huge setback.

The Gers picked up a creditable 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kyiv in the week and will hopefully use that as a confidence-booster here.

The Hampden move does have to be factored in, but the players will be well supported and it should not have too much sway on the outcome.

Rather than looking at Motherwell’s team sheet at 2pm, all eye will instead be on who Philippe Clement has picked to line up for the Gers.

In other Rangers news, Cyriel Dessers has played the role of an agent in a piece of transfer activity.

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