Rangers' Scott Arfield injury boost as Steven Gerrard aims to avoid Kilmarnock manager bounce against Tommy Wright

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard (centre) talks to Scott Arfield and Cedric Itten as they prepare to come on as a substitute during a Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Livingston at Ibrox Stadium, on October 25, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Tommy Wright will be in the opposite dugout from Steven Gerrard after his appointment to the Rugby Park post on Monday and Steven Gerrard believes the new manager will improve fortunes in Ayrshire – but not just yet.

He said: “It will be a tough challenge with a new manager, and normally a new manager finds a bounce – they didn’t find that against Motherwell and we don’t want them to find it against us tomorrow.

“But there’s no doubt about it, Tommy is a really experienced good manager and at some point he’ll turn Kilmarnock around – I believe that - but we don't want to be the start of that tomorrow.”

Kilmarnock improved midweek but lost 1-0 to Motherwell. Conversely Rangers were below-par against Hamilton and left Lanarkshire with a point from a 1-1 draw last Sunday but could be boosted by Scott Arfield and Jermaine Defoe’s return.

Gerrard added: “Scott was back and it was great to watch him bring enthusiasm back and see him smiling again. He seems close to being ready to go, but has been out for seven weeks.

“Kemar will miss the game and Alfredo serves his last game. Jermain has been out for two or three weeks and will come into the squad so we are in a good place in terms of health and availability but we have a couple of suspensions to serve.”

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