RANGERS just about escaped with their dignity intact from their Champions League trip to Liverpool and return to Premiership action against the league's surprise packets St Mirren.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side were clearly unwilling to have even the slightest go against Jurgen Klopp's men until almost the end and it was almost as if a 2-0 defeat was some kind of moral victory.
With their Champions League qualifying almost certainly now over, they can return to their bread and butter and they certainly looked like they had turned a corner when they thumped Hearts 4-0 at Tynecastle on their last outing in the league.
However, they will face a Saints side surely bursting with confidence after a remarkable recent run. They've won an incredible five out of their last six games and it's highly doubtful any other team outside the Old Firm will do that in this league this season.
Of course, the highlight of those wins was a sensational 2-0 home win over Celtic which brought to a shuddering end the champions' unbeaten league spell.
But they've also beaten Hibs in that run and won against in-form Livingston last week with ten men, so they will be up for this.
How the bookies view it
Great recent run or no great recent run, St Mirren are still huge underdogs at Ibrox. The Saints are 14/1 with Paddy Power.
Rangers are 2/9 with bet365 and will be bankers on punters' coupons no doubt. The draw is 21/4 with McBookie.com.
Recent head to heads
Rangers won all three meetings last season and have won the last five games between the clubs.
In fact, in league meetings, Rangers have won 11 in a row and their last defeat at Ibrox to St Mirren was in 1992.
Players to watch
Rangers will probably revert back to Antonio Colak on Saturday after giving an ineffective Alfredo Morelos the nod at Anfield. The Croatian international has been in great form and is a reasonably-priced 13/14 to score with SBK.
St Mirren's New Zealand international striker Alex Grieve was the hero last week against Livingston with a last gasp winner and is 13/2 with UniBet to score on Saturday.
Anything else catch the eye?
Despite St Mirren's superb recent run and their defeat of Celtic, it would take a brave Buddie to back them at Ibrox off the back of a timid Rangers display in midweek.
They are likely to be desperate to prove a point and could go at Saints from the off here and the 8/11 on a half time and full time Rangers win is just about backable.
Rangers have only conceded one league goal at Ibrox this season and they should be able to shut out Saints here too. Back them at 10/11 to win to nil with BetVictor.
In the last three times Colak has appeared on the scoresheet for Rangers, he's bagged a double on each occasion. Take a chance on him grabbing a brace here at 7/2 with McBookie.com.
This Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and St Mirren will be played on Oct 8, 2022 and kick off at 15:00. Check below for our tipsters best Rangers vs St Mirren prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
