Kenny Miller pin-points key Rangers role for Roy Makaay and tips Joe Aribo for second-leg start

Kenny Miller believes Rangers have the ideal backroom staff to help develop Fashion Sakala into a viable alternative to Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos, but says Joe Aribo has shown enough to claim a second-leg start in attack against RB Leipzig.

Both Rangers strikers missed the opening Europa League semi-final clash through injury but Giovanni van Bronckhorst kept Sakala on the bench until the second half, naming a starting line-up with two wingers in attack and no natural striker.

Aribo began behind Scott Wright and Ryan Kent in a first half where Rangers rarely threatened, though tactical tweaks at the interval brought him more into the match, eventually settled by Angelino’s late volley which the Bundesliga side will carry as a 1-0 advantage into the return leg at Ibrox next week.

Falkirk boss Miller, an ex-international forward himself, believes Rangers can coach the elements missing in Sakala’s game to help him lead the line – and have an expert perfectly placed in-house to do so – but Aribo should get the nod.

“When you have pace it’s also about intelligence – when to use it, and how to use it,” Miller said. “You see the best of Sakala when he’s been coming on and playing wide.

"You’ve seen him put balls across the face of goal and been a real threat when he’s come on in that area, but when he’s asked to be that focal point and bring people into the game and get a hold of the ball, he’s just not quite got that in his game as yet.

“But they have Roy Makaay there – a top, top striker – so there are guys in the building who can help him.”

Rangers' Nigerian midfielder Joe Aribo (L) and Leipzig's Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer both jump to head the ball during the UEFA Europa League semi-final, first leg - Kenny Miller believes Aribo is an option up front for the second leg at Ibrox. (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

BT Sport pundit Miller believes Aribo’s hold-up play during the second half in Germany showed enough to warrant consideration for the role in the Ibrox return leg next week.

"When you’re missing Morelos you need a focal point. If Kemar Roofe is missing as well I think Joe Aribo can give you that – he has size, he has technique, and I think he has the cleverness and awareness to bring other people into the game. The first 15-20 minutes of the second half definitely has to have given Gio food for thought for next week.”