Rangers vs Spartak Moscow Predictions

Rangers have a great opportunity to extend their lead at the top of Group G here and if they can take it, Steven Gerrard’s men will have ultimately surpassed the expectations set for him at the start of the season.

Few Rangers fans would have thought their side would be top of a Europa League group six months ago, but the effect Gerrard has had on the team has been remarkable. They are playing some beautiful football while winning games at the same time and few are tipping the Bears not to get a great result in this one.

The ‘Gers managed to end their terrible domestic away streak of five games without a win as they beat Hamilton 4-1 at the weekend. The result may have seemed resounding on paper but the lowly Accies really took the game to them and created a lot of good chances, climaxing in Steven Boyd’s sumptuous left-footed strike on 80 minutes to draw the scores level. The Blues had been pretty lacklustre up until this point but were handed a lifeline with two quickfire – and controversial – penalty decisions from referee Andrew Dallas. Hamilton defender Alex Penny was deemed the culprit in both occasions and Rangers captain James Tavernier slotted both spot-kicks home in front of the Blue Order with Alfredo Morelos adding to the goal tally essentially on the final whistle as the Accies left themselves exposed at the back.

It was a much-needed victory for Rangers but one that Steven Gerrard will definitely learn from. Rangers were poor and were pretty lucky to get all three points, but they now go into this game off the back of three consecutive wins which should give them an abundance of confidence for the upcoming fixture.

Rangers have been impressive in the Europa League with a fantastic away draw with Villarreal setting the tone early on. They backed this up with a 3-1 win over Rapid Vienna a few weeks ago and the Bears will be desperate for another positive performance here in what will be their second last group stage match at Ibrox for this season.

Spartak Moscow sacked their manager Massimo Carrera on Monday after a string of poor performances which means that Raul Riancho will take control of this match in a caretaker role. Despite winning the Russian Premier League in Carrera’s first year, a 3-2 defeat to lower-mid-table side Arsenal Tula was the final nail in the Italian’s coffin as Moscow currently find themselves 7th in the league and with only one win in their last nine games against top-tier opposition.

It had been quite a sticky patch for Spartak but the club’s hierarchy weren’t keen to wait for the team to balance out so they sacked Carrera in a bid to save their European campaign. These losses to the likes of Tula and Akhmat were really the turning points for Carrera and Riancho will have to pick apart the scraps to try and craft a win in this difficult game. They have conceded eight goals in their last three games and have only kept one clean sheet in their last eight matches; hardly the quality of a side that won the league in 2017.

Spartak find themselves in managerial disarray, so it is difficult to determine how the players will react to this change in head coach. Riancho has worked as an assistant since 2006 so is definitely qualified for the task but this lack of leadership may be reflected in Moscow’s performance. Rangers should be able to take advantage of this and with them so dominant at Ibrox, 12 wins and a draw in their last 13 home games, we’re expecting them to win again here. Spartak are actually pretty good away from home with just one loss in their last six and with them scoring eight in their last three matches, we’re expecting them to get a goal in this one. Rangers have also been pretty sketchy at the back lately with only one clean sheet in their last nine matches against top-tier opposition. Rangers have scored at least three in six of their last eight games and we’re backing them to score three against this wavering Spartak side; we’re predicting a 3-1 victory for Rangers over the group’s bottom side.