A huge day for East Fife as the League 1 side welcome Premier League Rangers to the First2 Finance Bayview Stadium for a Scottish League Cup tie.
East Fife Form and Team News
Darren Young’s part-timers began their League Cup campaign with defeat at Cowdenbeath in the middle of last month but they went on to shock Championship side Dundee United and beat Premier League Hearts on penalties after holding the Edinburgh team to a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes. Those results were enough to secure second place in their group and a place in the next round, which has been rewarded with this money-spinner.
Bayview is sell-out and the match will go a long way towards funding the club for the next few months but the Methil faithful will also be hoping that their team can do themselves justice in front of the TV cameras. Key men Chris Duggan and Kyle Bell could both return to the East Fife side which has drawn both of its League 1 fixtures to date, against Clyde and Peterhead, but lost to Stirling Albion in the Scottish Challenge Cup in midweek.
Rangers Form and Team News – Changes likely for the Gers
Steven Gerrard is unlikely to take any unnecessary risks with his team selection for this tie. The Gers beat FC Midtjylland of Denmark 3-1 on Thursday to seal a showdown with Legia Warsaw for the right to play in the group stages of this season’s Europa League. That followed on from a 6-1 thumping of Hibernian last Saturday. Rangers have now played eight times this season, winning seven and drawing one. Alfredo Morelos has now scored four goals in his last three matches and Jermaine Defoe rattled up a hat-trick against Hibs so finding the net has not been a problem. Defoe could get the nod as lead striker this weekend and you would fear the worst for the Fifers if the former England striker is in the mood. Rangers have signed midfielder Andy King on loan from Leicester but he may need a week to get up to speed with his new colleagues.
East Fife v Rangers Head-to-Heads
In the last 10 meetings between the sides going back 60 years, East Fife have not managed to score a goal against Rangers. The last two League Cup ties between the teams have both finished as 4-0 victories for the Glasgow giants.
East Fife v Rangers Current Match Odds
East Fife 35/1, Draw 11/1, Rangers 1/11 (Odds correct at 10.00am August 16)
East Fife v Rangers Predictions – can the Fifers avoid a hiding?
This really is a case of David v Goliath. Supporters of the Fifers will enjoy the occasion and the club will benefit hugely from gate receipts and TV money but that is likely to be where the good news ends for the part-timers. Rangers seem to find goals easy to come by at present and will want to be out of sight in this tie before taking their foot of the pedal. The 7/4 available for Rangers -3 on the Handicap with Paddy Power should be snapped up. The away side are also value at 7/10 with Boylesports to Win To Nil.
