Rangers Seek Redemption Against St Mirren After Challenging Start
Rangers have had a challenging start to the season, drawing both of their Premiership matches thus far.
The discontent from fans following the recent 1-1 draw against Dundee at Ibrox was exacerbated during their Champions League qualifier against Club Brugge on Tuesday, where they fell behind 3-0 before finishing the match 3-1 in favor of the Belgians.
It has been since 1989 that Rangers have failed to secure a victory in their first three league games. Head coach Russell Martin is under pressure to avoid another domestic setback, especially with a crucial match against Celtic looming after the return leg in West Flanders.
Meanwhile, St Mirren, the hosts for Sunday’s match, aim to extend their unbeaten streak against Rangers to four games. The last encounter in Paisley ended in a 2-2 draw in April, while St Mirren claimed a late 2-1 victory on Boxing Day.
In a remarkable turn of events, the Buddies also celebrated their first win at Ibrox since 1991, marking back-to-back victories over Rangers for the first time since the 1979-80 season.
Although St Mirren have yet to score a league goal this season, their spirits remain high after eliminating Hearts from the Premier Sports Cup via penalties. They will be looking to build on their tally of six goals in three games against Rangers, especially after League 1 side Alloa Athletic managed to score twice at Ibrox in the same cup competition.
Martin is focused on rebuilding a squad that only managed eight away wins in the Premiership last season. In contrast, Robinson operates on a much smaller budget but has achieved consistent success with three consecutive top-six finishes.
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St Mirren has concerns regarding forward Mikael Mandron and Connor McMenamin, both dealing with calf injuries, while Roland Idowu is recovering from a knee injury. Liam Donnelly is sidelined with an Achilles injury.
For Rangers, Cyriel Dessers is unlikely to recover from a knee injury in time for the match, and fellow forward Hamza Igamane is still unable to start due to pre-season fitness issues. Additionally, defender Nasser Djiga is suspended.