Motherwell haven’t won at Ibrox in league action since 1997 – but Stephen Robinson says there’s no reason why his team can’t trouble a rampant Rangers side.
The Well have hit a tough run of form and face the toughest test in the land this Saturday when they travel to Rangers. Steven Gerrard’s side are yet to lose a league game this term.
But their League Cup campaign did collapse midweek, St Mirren shocking them at the quarter-final stage with a 3-2 win. Well boss Stephen Robinson thinks that proves that Rangers are penetrable.
“Rangers are not invincible and that was sort of proved [on Wednesday],” said Robinson. “If everything goes your way it can be the perfect storm. The weather was horrendous, the pitch was a bit bobbly and maybe Rangers didn’t play to the top of their game.
“You need all those things to happen and credit to St Mirren, they stayed in the game, they dug in, they defended well and I think that’s the key to it. I think it will be a completely different game, a bigger pitch, a better surface, I imagine their team will change as well, so it will be a tough ask no matter what.
“We won’t be fooled by a one-off result. There’s numerous things have to go your way. Decisions from the referee, Rangers not being on the top of their game and your goalkeeper has to play very well.
“They are the elements of the game you need to go your way to get a result at Ibrox. We haven’t done that for a long time, so why not now? We’ve got a bunch of boys that I totally believe in and we’ll go with a gameplan I hope we can implement to the best of our ability.
“Their heads certainly won’t be down after the run they’ve been on.”
While Alfredo Morelos may be suspended for this match, Motherwell still have plenty of threats to deal with, mainly from defence where James Tavernier and Connor Goldson have been key.
Rangers have strength all over the park and Robinson admits doubling up doesn’t do much: “We are well aware of Rangers’ threats and we’ll set up to combat that.
“The reality is if we go toe-to-toe with Rangers – which we have done on occasions – is they inevitably win. You do have to change things and I don’t think there is any shame in that.
“Most clubs at our level have to change against a top team. Inevitably, we don’t beat them too often so you do have to play to the talent of their squad, try and hit them on the break and be solid. Rangers will have a lot of the ball, there’s no doubt.”
Rangers beat Motherwell 5-1 the last time these two sides met but Robinson says his team just need the fine margins to go for them: “The small things have to go your way, we had two penalties given away.
“Arguably now they might or might not have been given dependent on how the interpretation is. So straight away you are in trouble, we didn’t play well though, we didn’t do the basic rights.
“We have to be disciplined and stay in the game as long as you possibly can. Both 18-yard boxes are vital, how we defend and better decision making in the final third is the key.”