Steven Gerrard also confirmed in his interview with Sky Sports that Rangers full-back Nathan Paterson is one of the Scotland Under-21 players who has to isolate for two weeks in line with Covid-19 protocols.

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Billy Dodds
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound

Richard Foster
Partick Thistle defender on BBC Radio Scotland

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard on Sky Sports: "Ryan Jack did put in a big shift in [for Scotland]. Jacko looks ready. He's a very important player for us.

"We're looking to see the relationship between Alfredo Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent and see if they can cause Aberdeen problems.

"It's important the players all know their roles in and out of position."

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Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Aribo, Jack, Arfield, Roofe, Morelos, Kent.

Substitutes: McLaughlin, Bassey, Helander, Hagi, Davis, Kamara, Barker, Defoe, Itten.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Hoban, Taylor, Considine, Leigh, Kennedy, Ojo, Hedges, Edmondson, Cosgrove.

Substitutes: Woods, Devlin, Main, Hernandez, Campbell, Gallagher, Ngwenya, Ramsay, Duncan.

Aberdeen captain Joe Lewis makes his 200th appearance for Aberdeen this afternoon.

The 33-year-old English goalkeeper joined the Pittodrie club in 2016.

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Both managers have named attacking formations and Aberdeen will have to deal with a twin strike force of Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos, who has started ahead of former England man Jermain Defoe.

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Off The Ball
BBC Radio Scotland

Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan provide an alternative listening experience starting on BBC Radio Scotland FM from mid-day.

That will be followed by live coverage of today's rugby union international between Scotland and France from Murrayfield.

Here's a reminder of what's at stake today.

Win and Rangers will open up an 11-point gap on Celtic, although the reigning champions will still have two games in hand.

A victory for Aberdeen would pull Derek McInnes' side to within a point of the holders and put more daylight between themselves and Hibs in fourth.

Rangers are chalking up some impressive statistics this season.

They have won nine games in a row at home and, should they win today, it will be their best while in the top flight since 21 that straddled seasons and started in 2002.

A victory over the Dons would amass 41 points and would be their best start since 1967-68, when they were pipped to the title by Jock Stein's European champions Celtic.

On the other hand, Aberdeen have failed to score in three of their last four games on the road, the only exception being a 3-0 win over Ross County

They have also failed to score against Rangers in their last two meetings, although that includes a 0-0 draw the last time they were at Ibrox in February.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes on Sky Sports: "It [losing two players to Covid protocols] makes things a bit more challenge, but we've got a good team.

"It takes a lot of pace out of the team. We're clearly short of midfield players. Young Dean Campbell starts on the bench and he'll play some part today.

"We've still got to show the personality and courage to go and take part in the game."

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Aberdeen goalkeeper & captain Joe Lewis on Sky Sports: "It's not idea. You want all your players available.

"We've got a strong squad, this season especially.

"We don't need to be looking at the league table. We look at it game by game. Today is a big test for us. We're looking forward to it."

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Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield on Sky Sports: "We've been taking our chances, been ruthless.

"It's another day to prove how good we are at home. "We don't look at the numbers.

"It's a game for Rangers FC to go and win."

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Can Aberdeen overcome Covid-19 absences and spring a surprise today? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no...

And tells us what you think at @BBCSportScot.

Four changes for Aberdeen, largely because of their well publicised Covid-19 issues with their Scotland Under-21s representatives

Right-back Shay Logan, versatile Greig Leigh, midfielder Funso Ojo and striker Ryan Edmondson start in place of Lewis Ferguson, Connor McLennan, Ross McCrorie and Scott Wright.

Midfielder Ferguson and forward McLennan miss out after being told to self-isolate following positive Covid-19 tests while on-loan Ross McCrorie is ineligible against his parent club.

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As mentioned earlier, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard goes with Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe up front.

Morelos starts ahead of Jermain Defoe in one of two changes from the 8-0 thrashing of Hamilton Academical last time out.

The only other switch is in goal, with veteran Allan McGregor returning in place of Jon McLaughlin.

Winger Jordan Jones and defender George Edmundson are absent from the bench as they begin seven-game domestic bans for breaching Covid-19 rules.

Midfielder Bongani Zungu is left out having returned from South Africa duty with a knock to his knee.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has been in today's papers talking up the chances of today's visitors and Hibs challenging his own side and Celtic, saying it is "not a two-horse race" for the title.

You can find a link to that one and other stories from the Sunday newspapers in today's Scottish Gossip.

The big news yesterday, other than Celtic dropping a point away to Hibs, was the criticism aimed at the Scottish FA from the managers of Aberdeen, Motherwell and Celtic.

They all have players among the 11 members of Scotland Under-21 squad who are self-isolating after positive Covid-19 tests on their return from Greece.

Motherwell lost two midfielders for their 1-1 draw with St Johnstone.

In Aberdeen's case, it affects three players - midfielder Lewis Ferguson, forward Connor McLennan and defender Ross McCrorie. Ferguson and McLennan miss out at Ibrox today as a result, while on-loan McCrorie would not have featured anyway against his parent club.

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