Glasgow Rangers showed no sign of rustiness following the international break as they dispatched Hibernian 3-1 at Ibrox to secure all three points.
The win means the Gers remain just one point behind Celtic in the race for the Premiership title race, albeit they have a game in hand against Dundee.
The first half was a little laboured, with Philippe Clement having to rely on Cyriel Dessers to score their second goal of the afternoon to give the Light Blues a 2-1 advantage at half-time.
The second half proved to be more comfortable and when substitute Rabbi Matondo curled home a stunning effort with just ten minutes remaining, the win was confirmed.
Several players shone during the match, but a few were off-colour, most notably Fabio Silva.
Fabio Silva’s game in numbers against Hibs
The 21-year-old had shone on international duty for Portugal during the break, scoring once and grabbing two assists against Croatia during an U21 qualification match for Portugal.
This should have given him plenty of confidence heading into the clash against Hibs, especially considering he had scored against the same opposition just a few weeks prior during a Scottish Cup tie.
Goals
0
Assists
0
Key passes
2
Possession lost
19
Big chances created
0
The on-loan starlet was deployed on the left wing once again due to Abdallah Sima not being 100% ready for a start, with Clement hoping the youngster could create plenty of chances for Dessers while perhaps offering a dangerous threat himself.
There was no shortage of willingness from Silva, as he took 51 touches during his time on the pitch, while making two key passes, succeeding with 50% of his dribble attempts and delivering one cross.
Despite plenty of intent being shown, Silva lost possession a staggering 19 times against the Easter Road side, while also winning just two of his eight contested duels, failing to get the better of the opposition during his one-on-one battles.
With one of the most important Old Firm matches in years coming up at the end of this week, should Silva be given a start on the left wing?
Fabio Silva’s Rangers statistics
The Portuguese forward found the back of the net just once during the first half of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers, failing to really showcase his true talents.
A move to Ibrox has certainly given him a bigger stage to shine on, and he has taken his opportunities well, it must be said.
Since arriving in Glasgow, Silva has scored four goals in 15 appearances for the Light Blues while either playing as a centre-forward or out wide on the left wing.
Despite starting just five Premiership matches, averaging 50 minutes per game, Silva has scored twice so far along with taking 1.9 shots per game, missing four big chances and making 0.7 key passes per game, demonstrating how impressive he has been in such a short space of time.
The 6 foot 2 gem has certainly been a useful addition to the squad. Against Hibs, he was subbed off with 12 minutes to go for Sima, who made his first appearance since the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock on January 2.
Clement now has a major selection headache ahead of the third Old Firm match of the season, however. Does he stick with Silva, who is match fit? Or will he give Sima a start, despite his lack of match fitness?
Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers this season
Michael Beale was the manager who brought the winger to Ibrox last summer, securing him on a season-long loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion in order to bolster his attacking options.
Having lost Ryan Kent, it was evident that another winger needed to be added and Sima fit the bill perfectly. Not only did he score 16 goals in just 39 appearances for Slavia Prague, but the winger also added another seven assists, proving that he was capable of both scoring and creating chances for others.
The move to Rangers has worked out rather well. Across 34 matches during the 2023/24 campaign, Sima netted 15 goals and chipped in with two assists, proving to be one of the most dangerous attacking threats the club possess.
The Senegal international ranks only behind James Tavernier and Cyriel Dessers with regard to goal contributions in the top flight this term (12), while he currently ranks third for shots per game (2.9) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.4), showcasing his attacking talents to the full.
Why Abdallah Sima should start over Fabio Silva against Celtic
The statistics suggest that Sima is one of the finest attacking players at the club, and if fit, he should be unleashed from the start against Celtic on Sunday.
Silva could be a very useful option to have coming off the bench, especially if the game is tight heading towards the final quarter, or he could even replace Dessers in the starting XI, operating in a more advanced role.
Beale recently praised Sima during an interview with Sky Sports (via Glasgow World), who said:
"I think the player of the season in Scotland outside of Jack Butland was probably Abdallah Sima who's been missing, so if Abdallah can come back now and provide some goals and power in the final third, I would expect Rangers to go on and win the league.
“But it will come down to the Old Firms and obviously there's a big one coming up in just over a week's time."
A win over Celtic would give the Light Blues an advantage in the title race, especially if they then win their game in hand against Dundee just a few days later.
A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world, but with home advantage, Clement will be hoping his side can deliver one of their finest displays of the season.
Unleashing Sima, even if he only manages 60 minutes, could give the Belgian a serious advantage. Once he manages to get match fit, the 22-year-old will play a big part over the coming weeks with regard to where the Premiership trophy will end up.
Rangers ace who was better than Tavernier vs Hibs is now undroppable
Rangers secured a confidence boosting win over Hibs at Ibrox today
ByRoss Kilvington
