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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

Barry Ferguson pinpoints potential Rangers surprise for Celtic game

Barry Ferguson has called on Michael Beale to drop both Alfredo Morelos and Antonio Colak for the derby encounter with Celtic.

The ex-Rangers skipper reckons there could be a surprise up top when the team news is announced on Saturday morning.

Ferguson believes both players have different qualities which could prove beneficial in any case. 

However, the former Scotland international reckons Fashion Sakala provides the perfect attributes required for the derby.

He said: "Morelos is strong at holding it in. Colak isn't the type of player who can hold it up, he's more of a penalty box striker.

"So I think something different, like Sakala through the middle, just to spin in behind. You could put balls in and he'll go and chase it."

Meanwhile, in another potential selection twist, Kris Boyd believes Michael Beale could play Malik Tillman as a false nine instead.

The Sky Sports pundit echoed the call for both Morelos and Colak to be benched.

Boyd reckons neither established striker has had the impact Beale would have expected in his time in charge and particularly against their arch-rivals.

He told Sky: “When you look back to last season and the last time Rangers got a positive result at Celtic Park was that 1-1 draw and Joe Aribo was the false nine. Is that something that might come into Michael Beale’s thoughts?

"There’s an argument for it. I don’t think Alfredo Morelos or Antonio Colak have had the impact that Michael will have been wanting especially in this fixture.

“Tillman obviously with two goals at the weekend as well, Sakala didn’t play after coming back off international duty and you’d expect him to come back in, so there are options there.

“It might just be something he might look at. Tillman has shown he could potentially play in that higher area.”

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