Rangers New Boys Face Falkirk Challenge

Dujon Sterling has been tipped to sit out Rangers’ visit to Falkirk, a call that could hand an early audition to two of the club’s summer recruits.

Former Ibrox forward Greg Stewart believes the defender will not feature against the Bairns, a view that instantly sharpens the focus on Derek McInnes’ options in a squad that has been heavily reworked over the summer.

Astro, selections and a test of character

The venue matters here. So does the surface.

Falkirk’s artificial pitch has long been a talking point, and Stewart expects it to play a part again. Speaking alongside Ian Durrant on the 5 Stars Podcast, he flagged it as a potential issue for players still adjusting to life at Rangers.

“Astro turf as well, it always comes into play. So, it'll be interesting to see how the new boys, that are not used to it, take to it,” Stewart said. “I don't think Sterling will play well because of that.”

If McInnes shares that concern, Sterling’s place suddenly looks vulnerable. Rangers have depth now. They also have players itching for a chance.

McCrorie and Nedeljkovic sense an opening

The immediate beneficiaries could be Ross McCrorie or Kosta Nedeljkovic.

McCrorie returned to Ibrox in the summer, bringing Premiership experience and the kind of versatility managers lean on across a long season. His Rangers reboot has yet to ignite, with poor showings in limited minutes so far, but a start on a tricky surface against awkward opposition is exactly the sort of assignment that can change a narrative.

Nedeljkovic, on loan from Aston Villa, offers McInnes another route. Still bedding into Scottish football and the demands of the Rangers back line, he represents a more unknown quantity but a live contender as the manager pieces together his preferred defensive combinations.

One of them could walk into Falkirk with a point to prove and walk out having moved up the pecking order.

Durrant backs continuity after strong display

While Stewart questions Sterling’s involvement, Durrant expects McInnes to lean on continuity after Rangers’ recent performance.

“I don't think he'll tinker too much, I think. After that result and how well they played, and how well they battled,” he said.

Durrant also believes Falkirk’s style might actually suit the visitors.

“They all like to play a brand of football, which I think will suit Rangers. They always like to be on the front foot, they knock it about.

“I'm sure Rangers now, if they're on their A game, they can pick them off.”

So the message is clear: minor tweaks, not wholesale surgery. Any change at right-back or in the defensive unit will be deliberate, not experimental.

Falkirk’s surface still the outlier

The pitch remains the wildcard.

Falkirk are the only top-flight side still playing on an artificial surface after Kilmarnock’s return to grass and Livingston’s relegation. The club were granted a grace period to replace the pitch after winning promotion to the Premiership the season before last, leaving this fixture as one of the last remaining astro challenges in the division.

For a refreshed Rangers squad, many of whom have not yet dealt with this particular quirk of Scottish football, it is a very real factor in team selection and game plan.

If Stewart is right and Sterling is left out, the trip could turn into a pivotal early marker for McCrorie or Nedeljkovic. In a squad suddenly rich with competition, this is the kind of night that can quietly reshape a season’s hierarchy.