Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is wary of the threat their Russian visitors will pose, but his message to the home support is clear before kick-off.

"You have to respect the fact that they are in the same place us. They have the opportunity to qualify," he told RangersTV.

"But for us the focus always has to be Rangers. We are confident, we are playing well, and we have the opportunity at Ibrox to take the roof off the stadium in terms of the crowd and make the environment tough for Ufa."

Image source, SNS

Plenty of changes tonight for Rangers' visitors with six new faces in the starting XI.

On the back of Monday's 3-0 defeat by Dinamo Moscow, Denis Tumasyan, Putsko, Aleksandr Sukhov, Catalin Carp, Vyacheslav Krotov and Bizjak all drop out.

Pavel Alikin, Veroljub Salatic, Azamat Zaseev, Dmitri Zhivoglyadov, Ionut Nedelcearu, Sylvester Igboun, and Ivan Oblyakov all come in.

Ufa sit 11th in the Russian Premier League after four games following that defeat.

They scraped past Domzale of Slovenia on away goals after two draws before edging out Luxembourg outfit Progres Niederkorn 4-3 on aggregate.

They needed a stoppage time equaliser by Ivan Paurevic to deny Progres a chance to repeat last season's Europa League qualifying win over the Glasgow side.

Ufa have yet to win any of their four away games this season - but are unbeaten on the road in the Europa League.

Celtic almost snatch a winner as Kristoffer Ajer rises to meet Leigh Griffiths corner curled to the back post, but the centre-half heads just wide.

Giedrius Matulevicius replaces Suduva goalscorer Ovidijus Verbickas, who leaves the field to a rousing ovation as we enter three minutes of stoppage time.

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

Emilio Izaguirre lives dangerously as he is pulled up for a high boot moments after being booked.

Substitute Emilio Izaguirre goes into the referee's book for a flying elbow into the face of Jovan Cadenovic.

Unlike the first half, Celtic manage to defend the free-kick into the penalty box, with Izaguirre making up for conceding the foul.

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

It's Suduva's turn to muck things up at the back and goalkeeper Ivan Kardum slices his clearance wide for a corner after being put under pressure by a back-pass.

Nine minutes left and it is looking increasingly like it will finish level going into the second leg.

Scott McDonald
Former Celtic striker on BBC Sportsound

Celtic continue to live dangerously and Mikael Lustig is short with a back pass that puts Craig Gordon in trouble.

Fortunately for the visitors, the goalkeeper manages to get there before forward Rigino Cicilia.

Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland in Marijampole

The five thousand home fans starting to come alive here in Arvi stadium. They now believe their side can get a result as they start to put Celtic under pressure for the first time in the match.

Celtic now have two strikers - Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele - and the latter tries a snap-shot from the edge of the penalty box that flies a foot or so over.

That is better from the Scottish champions.

Scott McDonald
Former Celtic striker on BBC Sportsound

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Flanagan, Candeias, Jack, Ejaria, Kent, Arfield, Morelos.

Substitutes: Foderingham, Wallace, Umar, Halliday, McCrorie, Lafferty, Middleton.

Ufa: Belenov, Zhivoglyadov, Tabidze, Nedelcearu, Alikin, Salatic, Zaseev, Jokic, Paurevic, Igboun, Oblyakov.

Substitutes: Shelia, Sysuev, Carp, Vanek, Tumasyan, Sukhov, Krotov.

Referee: Daniel Stefanski (Poland)

Emilio Izaguirre comes on for Cristian Gamboa, with Scotland striker Leigh Griffiths replacing Mikey Johnston as Celtic move to a back three.

Brendan Rodgers needed to do something with Suduva growing in confidence and threat.

Suduva substitute Julius Kasparavicius makes an immediate impact and the midfielder's low drive from 18 yards is heading for the corner of the net before goalkeeper Craig Gordon manages to scoop it wide at full stretch.

Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Suduva Stadium

Everything coming down the left for Celtic and Suduva getting wise and doubling up on Mikey Johnston. James Forrest, nominally on the right, is spending more and more time in a central position. The visitors are still looking comfortable, but Suduva are growing in confidence.

Kieran Tierney flashes a long-range drive over the Suduva crossbar from 25 yards as fellow left-back Emilio Izaguirre warms up.