Rangers return to action on Saturday evening, aiming to maintain their momentum from before the international break.
First, Barry Ferguson’s side eliminated Fenerbahçe from the Europa League, triumphing on penalties at Ibrox to secure a quarter-final matchup with Athletic Club Bilbao.
Just three days later, the Gers edged out Celtic 3-2 in the Old Firm derby, with Ferguson becoming the first Rangers manager since Walter Smith in 1991 to win his debut Glasgow derby at Parkhead.
While the Premiership title race is out of reach, the Light Blues will be eager to claim another victory against Dundee. However, the task won’t be simple, given their last two visits to Dens Park ended in 1-1 draws, including one in January.
To secure three points in the City of Discovery, Ferguson should turn to his star striker.
Cyriel Dessers’ Recent Form
Scott Bradley of Breaking the Lines has highlighted Dessers’ inconsistency, describing his performances as both frustrating and divisive.
Since joining Rangers from Cremonese for a reported £5.5m in July 2023, the Nigerian forward has netted 44 goals in 99 appearances, averaging a goal every 138 minutes—a respectable return.
Following Rangers’ 3-1 win at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho stated, “Today, Dessers looked like the best player in the world,” with John Walker calling it his finest performance in a Rangers shirt.
However, Dessers is often criticised for his lack of clinical finishing, evidenced by the fact that, since last season, he has missed a staggering 46 Opta-defined big chances across the Premiership and Europa League.
Given that he started at Parkhead, it may be time for Ferguson to hand his other centre-forward an opportunity at Dens Park.
Who Should Start Up Front Against Dundee?
Hamza Igamane’s dramatic late winner in the Glasgow derby has already etched his name into Rangers history, but even before that, his performances were turning heads.
During the international break, the 22-year-old earned his senior debut for Morocco, featuring in the final eight minutes of their 2-1 World Cup qualifier victory over Niger.
Head coach Walid Regragui, who led Morocco to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, praised Igamane’s “mindset” and predicted a “bright future” for him.
At club level, Igamane has scored 14 goals since joining Rangers last summer, including four in the Europa League. Scout Ben Mattinson has described him as both “unpredictable” and “outrageous,” sparking Premier League interest.
In this season’s Europa League, Igamane ranks second for goals minus expected goals (xG), trailing only Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais. In contrast, Dessers is among the worst performers in this metric, sitting joint-fourth bottom among the 702 players with at least one attempt, ahead of only Ulrik Saltnes, Kevin Rodríguez, and Victor Osimhen.
This underscores Igamane’s superior finishing ability and his greater long-term potential compared to the 30-year-old Dessers.
With the Premiership title race effectively over, Ferguson should prioritise giving Igamane more playing time—starting on Saturday—allowing him to make his case ahead of the crucial first-leg clash with Athletic Club.
