- Both of Rangers' matches under new manager Michael Beale have ended in 3-2 victories
- Ross County are weak defensively but score plenty of goals, even against the top teams
- Recommended bet: Rangers to win and both teams to score

Rangers left it late against Aberdeen on Wednesday, but two goals in added time made it back-to-back 3-2 victories under new manager Michael Beale.

Supporters will fear that Celtic’s relentless form at the top of the table render heroics such as Scott Arfield's injury-time brace irrelevant, but Rangers will want to keep the pressure on and build momentum ahead of a crucial Old Firm clash on January 2.

Friday’s hosts, Ross County are in desperate need of points as they are only above the relegation play-off position on goal difference and are just three points above bottom-placed Dundee United, who have a game in hand.

Ross County vs Rangers (Friday, 7.30pm)

Team news

County captain Jack Baldwin is suspended after picking up a red card against St Johnstone on Saturday, significantly weakening the Staggies in central defence.

Left-back Ben Purrington remains a couple of weeks from returning from an ankle injury but midfielder Ross Callachan is rated 50/50 to return from a hamstring strain.

Attacker Alex Samuel is back in training after sustaining a cruciate ligament injury early in 2022, but this match may come too soon.

Rangers manager Michael Beale was boosted by the return of defenders Connor Goldson and Ben Davies on Tuesday but the new boss has a number of other absentees.

Croatian international Borna Barisic is not back from World Cup leave until next week, while fellow left-back Ridvan Yilmaz is possibly out until March with a calf injury.

Steven Davis is out for a few weeks with a knock and fellow midfielders Nnamdi Ofoborh and Ianis Hagi remain injured.

Centre-backs Filip Helander and John Souttar are both expected to be absent until early in the new year, while attackers Antonio Colak and Kemar Roofe both have calf injuries and look set to miss out along with Tom Lawrence.

The stats

While County have spent 10 of the last 11 seasons in the top tier of Scottish football, they have never beaten Rangers in 20 meetings.

There have been 16 wins for the Gers and three of County’s four draws against the Glasgow giants came in one season — the Staggies held Rangers in all three 2016/17 league meetings.

County did claim a point off Rangers in their most recent meeting at Victoria Park in January, drawing 3-3 thanks to a 90th-minute equaliser, but since then they have lost 4-1 and 4-0 at Ibrox.

Malky Mackay’s men have been poor in Dingwall this season, winning just two of nine league home games and losing five.

Prediction

While Rangers were fortunate to win at third-placed Aberdeen on Tuesday to make it two wins from two for Beale, his depleted side should be more comfortable against a struggling County outfit.

Mackay’s hosts are defensively vulnerable and have conceded two or more goals in six of their nine home games this term. That record includes a 3-1 defeat to Celtic and a 5-0 thumping by Motherwell, so adding over 3.5 goals to Bet Builder selections looks a decent approach in this game.

However, backing Rangers to win and both team to score — available at 6/4 with LiveScore Bet — looks the best bet. While County are clear underdogs, they have scored in four of their last five meetings with Rangers and have netted in all three meetings with Celtic this term, albeit in defeat each time.