Rangers aim to advance in the Scottish Cup as they host Annan Athletic, a Scottish League Two team, at Ibrox on Friday evening.
Danny Röhl’s team enters this fourth round match after five consecutive wins and seeks to maintain their momentum.
Rangers vs Annan Athletic – Match preview and team news
- Date: Friday, January 16.
- Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST.
- Venue: Ibrox Stadium.
Rangers team news
Rangers will miss several key players due to injuries. Manager Röhl has confirmed that Bailey Rice, Connor Barron, Derek Cornelius, Dujon Sterling, and Nedim Bajrami will not play.
Notably, midfielder Connor Barron is expected to be out for 8 to 12 weeks due to a knee ligament injury sustained during their recent match against Aberdeen. Dujon Sterling, affected by recurring injuries, will also be unavailable but may return in 2 to 3 weeks.
Rangers have been active during the January transfer window. Midfielder Tochi Chukwuani is the first signing, joining from Sturm Graz for about £4.3 million plus potential add-ons.
The 22-year-old brings experience from Europe. Additionally, left-back Tuur Rommens transferred from Westerlo for more than £3 million on January 14. Rangers also secured a loan deal for Danish winger Andreas Skov Olsen from Wolfsburg through the season, with an option to buy.
Annan Athletic team news
Annan Athletic reports no injury issues ahead of the game. The squad is fully rested, having not played since last year.
Manager Willie Gibson’s team is expected to use a similar lineup to their previous Scottish Cup matches.
Aidan Smith, the top scorer in Scottish League Two with five goals, is likely to lead the attack alongside Myles Gaffney and Charlie Maxwell. Their contributions will be important if Annan aims to challenge Rangers’ defense at Ibrox.
Form
Rangers
Rangers recently secured a strong 2-0 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on January 11.
Goals from Thelo Aasgaard and a penalty from James Tavernier ensured a vital victory.
Rangers are now just six points behind league leaders Hearts and level on points with Celtic. The team’s revival is impressive, especially after a rocky start to the campaign under previous management.
Annan Athletic
After being relegated from Scottish League One last season, Annan Athletic’s performance in Scottish League Two has been mixed, sitting seventh with 21 points from 18 games (5 wins, 6 draws, 7 losses).
However, they excelled in cup competition, advancing to the fourth round with a 4-0 victory over Buckie Thistle in the third round on November 29, 2025. Their latest league match ended in a 2-2 draw against Stranraer on December 27, 2025, featuring goals from Myles Gaffney and Aidan Smith.
Predicted lineups
Rangers: Kelly; Tavernier, Souttar, Djiga, Aarons; Raskin, Diomande; Matondo, Dowell, Moore; Chermiti.
Annan Athletic: Clarke; Muir, Hooper, Watson, Kilsby; Gibson, Dixon, Todd; Maxwell, Gaffney, Smith.
How to watch Rangers vs Annan Athletic?
The match will be shown live on Premier Sports 2.
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