Rangers vs Dundee United Match Analysis and Prediction

4 years ago 715

Rangers will be hosting Dundee United on Sunday knowing that only a win will do if they are to remain in the Scottish Premiership title race.

While the hosts are still on celebration mood after reaching the Europa League final, Dundee United are looking for the win that will strengthen their hold of fourth position in the table.

The Gers’ priority has been to successfully defend their Scottish Premiership title throughout the season, a far more realistic aim than winning the Europa League.

However, while Rangers sit six points adrift of Celtic with three matches remaining, they have secured their place in the final of the European second-prestigious competition through a famous Ibrox night against RB Leipzig.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Germany, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side bounced back to record a 3-1 win, with John Lundstram scoring the decisive goal with 10 minutes remaining to give the club a chance of lifting their first European trophy for 50 years.

Irrespective of the lineup that Van Bronckhorst selects on Sunday, Rangers will remain favourites, but they need somewhat of a comedown to give themselves every chance of succeeding again in Seville.

On the other hand, Dundee United will feel that they are travelling to Glasgow at the best possible moment as they seek to finish the campaign in fourth spot.

With the fixture against Celtic coming three days later, there is an assumption that Tam Courts and his squad face a tough battle, especially with just two wins to their name in 10 matches.

On the positive, they claimed a 1-0 victory over Motherwell last weekend, with Dylan Levitt scoring the only goal of the game just before half time. That clean sheet was also Dundee United’s first recorded since a shutout at Partick Thistle on February 12.

Rangers vs Dundee United head to head

The two sides have previously met on 75 occasions across all competitions, where Rangers have claimed 45 victories while Dundee have won 16, and they have drawn in 14. Dundee have scored 73 goals and conceded 166. In their last five meetings, Dundee have won once, Rangers three with one draw.

Dundee United 1-2 Rangers 13/12/20

Rangers 4-1 Dundee United 21/02/21

Dundee United 1-0 Rangers 07/08/21

Rangers 1-0 Dundee United 18/12/21

Dundee United 1-1 Rangers 20/02/22

Rangers latest home form

Rangers have recently been on a good run of form at home, having lost just one of their five most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed defeat RB Leipzig 3-1 in the Europa League. In their last five matches, they have scored 11 goals and conceded four.

Rangers 1-0 Aberdeen 05/03/22

Rangers 3-0 Red Star Belgrade 10/03/22

Rangers 1-2 Celtic 03/04/22

Rangers 3-1 Sporting Braga 14/04/22

Rangers 3-1 RB Leipzig 05/05/22

Rangers latest away form

Rangers have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their five most recent matches. They lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig on April 28 in the Europa League. In their last five matches, they have scored 10 goals and conceded four.

St. Mirren 0-4 Rangers 10/04/22

Celtic 1-2(E) Rangers 17/04/22

Motherwell 1-3 Rangers 23/04/22

RB Leipzig 1-0 Rangers 28/04/22

Celtic 1-1 Rangers 01/05/22

Dundee United latest home form

Dundee have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, having won just one of their six most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed to defeat Motherwell 1-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored seven goals and conceded 10.

Dundee United 2-2 Hearts 05/03/22

Dundee United 0-3 Celtic 14/03/22

Dundee United 2-2 Dundee 09/04/22

Dundee United 2-3 Hearts 24/04/22

Dundee United 1-0 Motherwell 30/04/22

Dundee United latest away form

Dundee have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their seven most recent matches. They drew 1-1 with Hebernian in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored six goals and conceded five.

Partick Thistle 0-1 Dundee United 12/02/22

Aberdeen 1-1 Dundee United 26/02/22

Livingstone 2-1 Dundee United 02/03/22

St. Mirren 1-2 Dundee United 19/03/22

Hibernian 1-1 Dundee United 02/04/22

Rangers news

Van Bronckhorst is expected to make numerous changes to his Rangers first XI, with Leon Balogun making a return from a one-game ban.

Steven Davis, Amad Diallo, James Sands, Scott Artfield and Fashion Sakala are all in contention to start on Sunday, but caution will be taken on Kemar Roofe.

Dundee United news

Dundee United enter the contest with a clean bill of heath and without suspension concerns, so Courts is not likely to make changes to his starting lineup.

Having recently lost his place in the squad, Ilmari Niskanen will likely have to make do for a spot on the substitutes’ bench.

Prediction and Odds

With much of their focus on European football, Rangers may make themselves vulnarable to fall for a defeat to their visitors who are seeking to cement their place in fourth.

However, Rangers are certainly the favourites for the contest and we are backing them to come out with a win.

Odds: 1 1.80 X 2.00 2 2.65