Key events
3 mins: Two dangerous moves by Rangers reasonably well mopped up by Spurs. It’s a pretty active start from both sides.
1 min: Spurs start well and Werner whizzes down the left and wins a corner. That play comes to nothing. But good opening move.
Kick off
And we are off with Spurs. Hold on to your hats.
Ibrox is rocking tonight. Even though it is near to freezing.
The TV (which is dubbing this fixture The Battle of Britain) is showing the young mascots warming up in the tunnel – vigorously. Socks are pulled up past the knees.
The teams are out
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Propper, Yilmaz, Raskin, Bajrami, Cerny, Diomande, Jefte, Igamane.
Subs: Kelly, Cortes, Barron, Dessers, Dowell, Sterling, Balogun, King, McCausland, Fraser, Rice, Curtis.
Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Udogie, Bentancur, Bissouma, Johnson, Maddison, Werner, Son.
Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Bergvall, Solanke, Kulusevski, Sarr, Lankshear, Dorrington, Olusesi, Williams-Barnet, Hardy.
Referee: Sandro Scharer (Switzerland)
And in case you don’t know what time it is where you are watching/reading/listening, here is a reminder
Ange interview: ‘Tough game, big game’
Spurs TV is asking the questions : “How’s it feel to be back?” (in Glasgow). Fair enough question I guess since Ange was Celtic manager for a couple of years.
He answers: “Good to be back – just as cold as I remember it.”
And quizzed about his potential reception by Rangers fans:
“You pretty much know when you are up here that – the city is divided. And you kind of know that if you are on one side that the other are not going to be too warm and friendly with you. But that’s OK, that’s part of sport.”
On injuries and perhaps the general malaise at Spurs after some very up and down results.
“We are in a bit of a tough spot. But great opportunity for us to overcome the odds and hopefully create something special.
“Fair to say this is probably the worst I have ever experienced. What need to do is to stay calm and have a belief in the principles of what you are building.”
Don’t often see a picture of Ange smiling so here’s one
And another
Evening everyone – or morning if you are on Australia timezone or afternoon in the Americas etc …
Welcome to our second live match of the day – a real potential cracker this one with lots at stake (for Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou).
It’s 8th placed Rangers against 9th placed Spurs.
But more than that its a chance for Ange to get his season back on track after a a topsy turvy few months of glory (4-0 win at Man city) and dismality (is that the a word that describes their various coming-from-in front defeats?)
