Preview: Rangers vs. Hibernian - prediction, team news, lineups

Scottish Premiership champions Rangers will host Hibernian on Sunday afternoon hoping to claim their 17th home victory and maintain their 100% record at Ibrox.

Meanwhile, Hibs will be looking to secure their 11th away victory in this season's top-flight; only the Gers have won more league games on the road so far the campaign.

Match preview

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After failing to win any of their last three matches in all competitions – their longest run without a victory so far this season – Rangers bounced back with a commanding 4-0 win against League One side Cove Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Cup last weekend.

A brace from Kemar Roofe, as well as strikes from Jermain Defoe and Nathan Patterson, booked their place in the fourth round where they will face Old Firm rivals Celtic at Ibrox next weekend.

Rangers now return to Scottish Premiership action and having already claimed their first top-flight title in a decade, Steven Gerrard will be hoping that his team can become only the second in history to go an entire league campaign undefeated.

The Gers have won 28 of their 33 league games, drawing the other five, and have won all 16 of their home league fixtures this term.

Gerrard's side, who have accumulated 89 points, are also on course to reach the 100 points milestone which has only ever been achieved once before, by rivals Celtic in the 2016-17 campaign.

Rangers are unbeaten in 11 league meetings with Hibernian, winning six of their last seven top-flight games against them, including their last two by a 1-0 scoreline this season.

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Hibernian progressed from the third round of the Scottish Cup for the 17th consecutive season courtesy of a 3-1 win away at Championship outfit Queen of the South last weekend.

After ending his 15-game goal drought against Livingston just before the international break, striker Christian Doidge hit a brace, while Martin Boyle was also on the scoresheet in a comfortable victory at Palmerston Park.

Hibs currently sit third in the Scottish Premiership but will not be able to finish any higher if second-placed Celtic were to win against Livingston on Saturday; the last time the Edinburgh-based club finished inside the top three was back in the 2004-05 campaign.

Jack Ross's side head to Rangers having lost only one of their six away league games in 2021 so far, but they have failed to win any of their last five visits to Ibrox, losing each of the last four.

Victory on Sunday is unlikely for Hibs, but a surprise win could see them move 10 points clear of fourth-placed Aberdeen, who they will face in a month's time.

Team News

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Last weekend, Gerrard made seven changes to the Rangers team that drew away at Celtic, and he could make a similar number of changes for Sunday's match.

Allan McGregor, Joe Aribo, Ianis Hagi, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos could all return to the first XI.

Captain James Tavernier is closing in on his return to action after being out since February with a knee injury sustained in the Europa League first-leg clash with Royal Antwerp.

Hibernian currently have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of this weekend's trip to Ibrox.

Ross is set to stick with a 3-5-2 formation and is not expected to make too many changes to his starting lineup, although Israeli goalkeeper Ofir Marciano is set to replace Matt Macey.

Rangers possible starting lineup:
McGregor; Patterson, Goldson, Helander, Baricic; Kamara, Davies, Aribo; Hagi, Morelos, Kent

Hibernian possible starting lineup:
Marciano; McGinn, Porteous, Hanlon; Boyle, Irvine, Newell, Gogic, Doig; Nisbet, Doidge

We say: Rangers 2-0 Hibernian

All three encounters between Rangers and Hibernian this campaign have been tight affairs, with the Gers winning the last two by a one-goal margin and drawing the other meeting 2-2 in September.

Sunday's game could be another cagey contest, but we expect the hosts to claim another three points at Ibrox to keep up their perfect home record.