Rangers vs Hibernian

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As for Hibs, who arrive to Ibrox with a six-match winning and drawing streak across all competitions, including a 2-2 draw with Edinburgh rivals Hearts in their previous game before the break.

At Tynecastle, Hearts led by two goals at halftime after Alan Forrest's first goal and a Christian Doidge own goal for the Cabbage. But Elie Youan's two goals in the final two minutes of the second half allowed the visitors salvage a point and keep their perfect record under new manager Nick Montgomery.

In fact, Montgomery has led Hibs to a 4-2 victory over St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup quarterfinals and has gained six points in four league games since taking over for Lee Johnson.

With nine points from their first eight games, Hibs are currently seventh in the Premiership league, just two points above the bottom two and six points behind second-place Rangers, their opponents on Saturday.

The Cabbage may find it difficult to continue their winning streak this weekend as they have lost all eight of their league meetings at Ibrox, giving up at least two goals on six of those occasions. Hibs haven't defeated Rangers away from home since a 2-1 victory in February 2018.

Rabbi Matondo, a winger for Rangers, is set to be sidelined until the middle of November due to a knee injury. Zak Lovelace, 17, injured his hamstring against St. Mirren in his maiden professional start.

Although Todd Cantwell stated last week that he hopes to return to first-team action after the international break after making progress in his recovery from a knee problem, the midfielder could be included in the matchday squad against Hibs. Steven Davis, Kieran Dowell, Jose Cifuentes, Danilo (fractured cheekbone), Tom Lawrence (calf), Leon Balogun, and Ryan Jack (both unspecified) are all still to be evaluated.

The era of Philippe Clement commences this Saturday for Rangers, as they emerge from the international break to face Hibernian in a Scottish Premiership match at Ibrox. While Rangers have already suffered two defeats in their first four home games in the top-flight this season, Hibernian has managed to secure just one victory in their initial four league away matches.

Four months after losing his job at Ligue 1's Monaco, Philippe Clement returns to the managerial scene with Rangers, taking the reins less than two weeks after Michael Beale's departure from Ibrox. The 49-year-old has inked a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club and is determined to instill a winning mentality at Ibrox, with the aim of winning trophies as quickly as possible. However, Clement acknowledges that he can't perform magic, and the journey back to the top of Scottish football may require some time.

Clement's immediate goal is to close the gap on their bitter rivals and current champions, Celtic, in the race for the Premiership title. Currently, Rangers are seven points behind Celtic in the league standings, having already suffered three losses in their first eight top-flight matches.

During Steven Davis's interim leadership, Rangers had a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Cypriot team Aris Limassol in the Europa League group stage, but they rebounded with an impressive 3-0 victory over a strong St Mirren side in their last match before the international break. This victory was secured with goals from James Tavernier (2) and Abdallah Sima.

Rangers are optimistic about starting Clement's tenure on a winning note this Saturday, given their track record, as they have won five of their last six encounters with Hibs. In fact, they've emerged victorious in each of their last three meetings, with a combined score of 10-4.

During the international break, there were significant changes at Ibrox, where the new manager, Philippe Clement, is eager to kick off his tenure with a strong start as Rangers face Hibernian in the SPFL Premiership. However, this opening match presents a challenge for the Belgian manager because Hibernian, under their new manager Nick Montgomery, is on a winning streak, having not lost a game in the last five matches.

Clement faces the task of revitalizing Rangers' championship aspirations, as they find themselves trailing their rivals, Celtic, by seven points due to a tumultuous summer rebuilding under Michael Beale. Although Clement's managerial history suggests he could be a smart choice if the Ibrox board grants him the necessary time and resources to assemble a competitive team, he has inherited a squad with an imbalance. Beale accumulated numerous creative midfielders while neglecting the aging defense, which might give Hibs hope of achieving a positive result at Ibrox.

Hibernian's resurgence under Montgomery continued before the international break, as they managed to come back from a 2-0 deficit at Tynecastle and secure a draw. Personally, I regretted not predicting a draw at halftime, given their performance. While a leaky defense remains a concern for Hibernian, their attacking prowess, led by players like Dylan Vente, Elie Youan, and Martin Boyle, has the potential to outscore any team in Scotland when they are in top form.

Rangers aim to replicate their previous 0-3 victory over St Mirren in the Premiership, where they dominated possession at 70% and had 13 goal attempts, 8 of which were on target. James Tavernier (30', 90') and Abdallah Sima (71') scored for Rangers, while St Mirren managed only 3 shots on goal with none on target.

Rangers have maintained a consistent scoring record, finding the back of the net in each of their last six games, amassing a total of 11 goals while conceding only 5.

Rangers head into this match with an impressive 19-game unbeaten streak against Hibernian in the league.

Hibernian, in their previous game, played a 2-2 draw against Hearts in the Premiership. They had 50% possession and 17 goal attempts, with 3 on target. Christian Doidge (58' Own goal) and Élie Youan (66', 68') scored for Hibernian, while Hearts had 21 goal attempts, with 5 on target, and Alan Forrest (28') scored for them.

Hibernian, under Nick Montgomery, has scored 12 goals in their last six matches, while conceding 6.

Looking back at their recent encounters since December 1, 2021, Hibernian has struggled against Rangers, failing to secure any victories. Rangers have dominated, winning 83% of these matchups. A total of 21 goals have been scored in these games, with 15 by Rangers and 6 by Hibernian, resulting in an average of 3.5 goals per game.

In their most recent league meeting on May 21, 2023, Rangers defeated Hibernian 1-3 in the Premiership.

Rangers, who secured a 3-0 victory against St. Mirren in the Premiership, aim to replicate their success and achieve a similar outcome in the upcoming game. In that previous match, Rangers dominated possession with 70 percent and had 13 shots on goal, eight of which were on target. James Tavernier netted two goals for Rangers, one in the 30th minute and another in the 90th minute, while Abdallah Sima added one in the 71st minute. St. Mirren managed three shots on goal but failed to hit the target. Rangers have been consistently scoring goals, finding the net in each of their last six matches, totaling 11 goals while conceding only 5. They also maintain an impressive 19-match unbeaten streak against Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.

Hibernian's recent Premiership match against Hearts concluded with a 2-2 draw. Hibernian had 50 percent possession and attempted 17 shots on goal, converting three of them. Élie Youan scored twice for Hibernian in the 66th and 68th minutes. Hearts, their opponents, had 21 shots on goal, with 5 on target. Alan Forrest scored Hearts' first goal in the 28th minute, and Christian Doidge added the second in the 58th minute. Over their last six games, Nick Montgomery's Hibernian managed to score 12 times but also conceded six goals.

Hibernian hasn't won against Rangers in their nine most recent away league matches. However, they remain undefeated in their last three away league matches. In their previous two away league matches, they failed to secure a victory.

Rangers quickly rebounded from their disappointing 1-1 draw with Motherwell by dominating Ross County 5-0 over the weekend. This victory extended their lead over perennial champions Celtic to 23 points. Now, Steven Gerrard's focus is on maintaining their unbeaten streak and securing another win against Hibernian, a team they defeated last month, as they head to the capital later this week.

Hibernian, on the other hand, is still reeling from a painful 3-0 loss to St. Johnstone in the Scottish League Cup semi-final last Saturday. St. Johnstone exposed Hibernian's vulnerabilities and secured an easy victory. Jack Ross is eager for his team to bounce back when they face the runaway league leaders at Easter Road.

After their loss on Boxing Day in Glasgow, Hibs experienced a significant drop in form, losing their next two home games. However, they managed to stabilize with a 1-1 draw against Celtic earlier this month, which provided a platform for a victory against Kilmarnock in the league. Nevertheless, their abrupt exit from the Scottish League Cup has cast a shadow over Easter Road.

Gerrard's goal is to further widen the gap against the fourth-placed Hibernian and keep his team on course to challenge Celtic's dominance in domestic competitions, with the aim of bringing silverware back to Ibrox at the end of the season.