Striker calls on Dark Blues to exploit frailties in Ibrox men’s backline Wighton sees weakness in Gers defence

Dundee striker Craig Wighton is ready to exploit a weakness in the Rangers team when they clash at Dens Park.

The Dark Blues play host to the Light Blues tomorrow afternoon and Wighton has plotted a possible path to victory.

With the Ibrox men still managerless following Mark Warburton’s shock departure last week, there is an argument that Dundee are getting them at a good time.

Specifically, it is in central defence that Wighton feels they are most vulnerable.

The Gers have struggled to find a successful partnership at the heart of their backline and there has even been a comeback for Phillipe Senderos in recent weeks, who has looked shaky to say the least.

He said: “When you look at Rangers, centre half is maybe where they are weakest. They haven’t had a steady partnership all season. It has changed a bit and it has been one in, one out a lot of weeks. So we will look to exploit that and try to get in behind them.

“They obviously have quality in their squad but they are under pressure and hopefully we can use that. Morton did well against them last weekend in the Scottish Cup (they lost 2-1 at Ibrox) and had chances to score towards the end.

“They got at the Rangers centre halves and showed that they are there to be got at. I thought they looked nervous at times against Morton, so it’s definitely an area we will look to commit them as much as we can.”

As for the whole hullaballoo surrounding the Light Blues just now, Wighton feels that puts pressure on them and takes any off Dundee.

“There is obviously a lot going on at Rangers but it is about what we do on Sunday,” he said.

“Their fans have been getting on their backs so there is pressure on them, whereas there is no pressure on us really. If we start the game well then their fans will get on top of them so we have to try to score first. Rangers will come here expecting to win the game so we can just go out and enjoy it.

“We believe we have the players here to beat them so we are looking forward to it. Our home record this season has been good and I don’t think Rangers have been too good away from home. Our form has definitely picked up at Dens.

“The fans have been great in backing us because they can see how we’ve improved our home form.

“Someone told me we haven’t lost a home game in the league since October which is a decent record so we want to keep that going.

“We just have to focus on the manager’s game plan, make sure we do our jobs properly and take it from there.”

Wighton did well when he came off the bench for the last 20 minutes against Killie and is right in contention for a starting slot against Rangers.

He added: “I have been happy enough with my form. I have done well coming off the bench. I had a couple of half chances against Kilmarnock which we could have taken but a point isn’t a bad result.”

Wighton is relishing the run-in to the end of the season, despite the Dark Blues being stuck in the bottom six at the moment.

“There are five or six teams all grouped together who can’t get away from the bottom but can’t get clear into the top six either,” he said.

“It is a weird position to be in but it is the same for the other teams around about us. The team that gets into the top six will be the one who manages to be consistent and rack up a few wins in a row.

“We have a lot of big games coming up and we’re at home against some of the top teams in the next few weeks. So with us being stronger at home we are hoping to have a good run into the split.”

Dundee have injury doubts over three players – Julen Etxabeguren, Kosta Gadzhalov and Henrik Ojamaa.

Etxabeguren was ruled out of the game against Kilmarnock with an achilles problem, while Gadzhalov and Ojamaa picked up knocks.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Scott Bain looks likely to leave the club in the summer.

It has been reported that he has rejected a contract offer from club but the issue did not even go that far, with Bain indicating to the Dark Blues that he wouldn’t be re-signing.

He is, however, under contract for another season after this one so Dundee can sit and wait on the right offer coming in for him.

Rangers caretaker boss Graeme Murty hopes to have skipper Lee Wallace fit for the trip to Dundee after he complained of a muscular problem during their Scottish Cup win over Morton last week, while Josh Windass has stepped up his recovery from an ankle knock.