SMART MALIK
Tillman at the double as Greegsy marks his 500th game with Ibrox shut-out
Malik Tillman wasn’t even born when Allan McGregor made his Rangers debut.
But the Rangers youngster upstaged the old timer at Ibrox yesterday with a double to beat Dundee United.
McGregor was making his 500th appearance, 21 years after his debut in February 2002.
Tillman didn’t come into the world until a few months later.
What McGregor has done in the past two decades for Rangers makes him a club legend.
But the on- loan Bayern Munich kid could play a huge part of their future – with gaffer Michael Beale desperate to sign him up for next season.
He made the di f ference against United yesterday with a brace. That’s six goals in his last six games for Tillman. And that might just earn him a start in the Old Firm derby against Celtic on Saturday.
Beale will face a dilemma on how he fits the likes of Tillman, Todd Cantwell, Ryan Kent and Fashion Sakala into his line-up at Parkhead.
But after the American’s performance yesterday, fans will be asking if the manager can possibly leave Tillman out.
Before kick-off, the man voted Rangers’ greatest ever, John Greig, made a presentation to McGregor on the pitch.
The keeper became the 16th player in Gers’ history to achieve the feat, joining legendary figure Greig on the list.
McGregor was guaranteed his spot in Beale’s line- up – but others weren’t.
And if you were looking for clues on who might start against Celtic, this team probably threw up more questions than answers.
The back four picked itself. And with Nico Raskin injured, it was the same midfield set-up as last t ime out against Motherwell.
Beale likes this box of four, with Ryan Jack and John Lundstram sitting behind Cantwell and Kent. Ahead of that, most people inside Ibrox expected Antonio Colak up top with Sakala next to him.
But Beale brought Alfredo Morelos back and started Tillman after the impact he made at Fir Park with a late goal.
Whether that’s the XI who play against Celtic in six days’ time is highly debatable.
There’s certainly plenty of movement and fluidity in this system and early on here, Rangers looked in a creative mood.
Against a wall of tangerine shirts sitting in their own box, it was just a case of how quickly they could break it down.
James Tavernier was first to threaten at the back post.
He got on the end of Borna Barisic’s whipped cross but his shot was beaten away by United keeper Mark Birighitti.
Goodwin’s side were so deep that when their furthest forward player – usually striker Steven Fletcher – got the ball, they had to run BACK to f ind a team-mate.
The only time they got forward was when t he y nicked possession or Rangers got a bit sloppy.
A loose Kent pass allowed Peter Pawlett a run at goal but, instead of shooting, he tried to tee up Fletcher and Ben Davies cut it out.
Moments later, Pawlett was left distraught as he was forced off with a knee injury.
Af ter an early f lurry of ingenuity, Beale’s men began to drift. Unable to breach United’s back-line, they appeared to have