'It's quite impossible' - Giovanni van Bronckhorst addresses squad rotation issue for Rangers

He has previously declared there is ‘no chance’ he will field a weakened team in Sunday’s Premiership fixture at St Mirren in order to prioritise the subsequently defining Europa League and Scottish Cup clashes with Braga and Celtic the following week.

But as Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst tries to deliver silverware on at least one of three fronts for the Ibrox club in the final two months of the season, he accepts he will have no option other than to test the strength in depth of his squad to some degree.

If Celtic win at home to St Johnstone on Saturday afternoon, Rangers will find themselves nine points behind their Old Firm rivals in the title race prior to their lunchtime kick-off in Paisley the following day.

Van Bronckhorst is determined that the Scottish champions will not give up their title lightly, placing the onus upon him to strike the right balance in any alterations he makes to his starting line-up.

Kemar Roofe, pictured after a challenge by Braga defender Fabiano Souza on Thursday night, could be restored to the Rangers starting line-up for Sunday's Premiership fixture at St Mirren. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

“Of course it (squad depth) is (important),” he said. “We also made some changes yesterday (in Braga). It’s quite impossible to play with a fixed eleven in these weeks with so many games, important games.

“So we have to rotate where we can and use the depth of the squad.

“We don’t have any major concerns for Sunday. Of course, we have players who gave everything and are really tired.

“Some players are playing a lot of games in the last week and months. So obviously these games in Europe will take a lot out of the body, energy-wise and physically-wise."

Kemar Roofe, who replaced Fashion Sakala midway through the second half in the 1-0 defeat in Braga, could lead the line against St Mirren as Rangers try to cope with the absence of injured striker Alfredo Morelos.

Van Bronckhorst is wary of the threat posed by a St Mirren side who go into the weekend with an outside chance of still claiming a top six spot but, more realistically, needing points to stave off a growing relegation threat.

“Of course they have some teams above them so the results on Saturday will define whether they are playing for a top six spot or not,” he said.

“They have shown in the past they can have good results against big teams."

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