Key Points

• Solitary Selection Alteration: Rangers manager Derek McInnes has made a single change to his starting eleven for the Scottish Premiership encounter against St Johnstone at Ibrox.
• Attack Reshuffle: Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy returns to the starting lineup, replacing winger Djeidi Gassama, who drops to the substitute bench.
• Tactical Partnership: Kelsy moves directly into the attack to form a two-man frontline alongside Ryan Naderi.
• Retained Talent: Summer signing Badredine Bouanani and youngster Kim Min-su retain their starting berths after impressing during last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Dundee at Dens Park.
• Recent Form Context: The Ibrox side enter this fixture aiming to bounce back to winning ways after failing to hold onto a lead against Dundee last Saturday.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) October 24, 2026 — Rangers manager Derek McInnes has confirmed his team selection for this afternoon’s Scottish Premiership clash against St Johnstone, making a single modification to the side that recorded a 2-2 draw against Dundee at Dens Park seven days ago. As reported by the Rangers official media channel, striker Kevin Kelsy has been recalled to the starting lineup at Ibrox, taking the place of wide attacker Djeidi Gassama.

What prompted Derek McInnes to alter his starting lineup?

Explaining the tactical decisions behind his team selection ahead of kickoff, Derek McInnes outlined that bringing Kevin Kelsy back into the starting eleven provides Rangers with a balanced offensive dynamic. As reported by football writer Matthew Lindsay of the Glasgow Times, McInnes confirmed that Kelsy was reinserted into the squad to partner Ryan Naderi directly up top.

McInnes noted that the combination of Badredine Bouanani, Kim Min-su, Naderi, and Kelsy gives the side a distinct balance of physicality and tactical creativity in the final third. As reported by Matthew Lindsay of the Glasgow Times, McInnes stated that

“we felt that Bouanani really had an impact on the game last week. I think he justified his selection and I thought he was terrific.”

Discussing the inclusion of young attacker Kim Min-su, who retains his position on the wing, McInnes added:

“Minsu Kim, we thought he did well in the game as well, so we’ve just brought Kevin Kelsy back in alongside Ryan Naderi up top. Hopefully we can make hay with that frontline. There’s attacking threat, a bit of creativity, a bit of physicality, but we’ve got to win battles all over the pitch and be organised to allow us to get there.”

How do the teams line up at Ibrox?

Rangers line up with Ivor Pandur retaining his spot between the goalposts. The defensive unit remains unaltered from the trip to Dens Park, featuring Dujon Sterling at right-back, James Penrice at left-back, and the central defensive partnership of Emmanuel Fernandez and Olwethu Makhanya. In central midfield, Dan Neil continues his partnership alongside Nicolas Raskin. The attacking quarter features Badredine Bouanani, Kim Min-su, Ryan Naderi, and Kevin Kelsy.

The Rangers substitutes bench consists of Liam Kelly, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Ben Godfrey, Sander Rommens, Jovan Dragojevic, Tochi Chukwuani, Mason Curtis, Djeidi Gassama, and Bojan Miovski.

What is the background of this development?

Rangers enter this Scottish Premiership fixture under pressure to secure three points following a period of mixed domestic form. In their previous league outing against Dundee at Dens Park, goals from Badredine Bouanani and Nicolas Raskin were insufficient to claim victory, as the home side fought back to earn a 2-2 draw. That result followed a 3-1 home victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox, leaving McInnes eager to re-establish momentum in the league standings.

The selection of Kevin Kelsy marks a tactical shift back towards a multi-faceted attacking setup. The Venezuelan forward had previously been rotated to allow Bouanani to operate in a more fluid supporting role, but McInnes has opted for greater penalty-box presence against a defensive St Johnstone side.

How can this development affect the Rangers squad and supporters?

This tactical adjustment directly impacts both the squad dynamics and the expectations of the Ibrox support. For the players, particularly Djeidi Gassama, dropping to the bench underlines the competitive nature of selection within the squad and highlights McInnes’ willingness to adapt setups based on match contexts rather than settling on a fixed starting lineup.

For the Rangers supporters, the inclusion of a dual-striker pairing with Kelsy and Naderi signals an aggressive, front-foot strategy designed to break down low-block defenses at home. A positive performance and result will validate McInnes’ rotation policy, whereas any further dropped points at home could increase scrutiny regarding tactical consistency and defensive stability.