Rangers arrive at the national stadium on Saturday, 31 October, for a massive Scottish League Cup semi-final showdown against Aberdeen, with kick-off scheduled for 17:30 at Hampden Park.

Derek McInnes’ side head into the fixture riding a resilient nine-game unbeaten run, though two draws in their last three outings, including a frustrating 2-2 stalemate against Hearts at Tynecastle, have highlighted areas for improvement. Rangers have already got the better of the Dons once this season, grinding out a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie in the Scottish Premiership.

Team news and injury latest – Tochi Chukwuani doubt, five others ruled out

Squad depth will face a rigorous examination at Hampden, with several key figures remaining sidelined. Youssef Chermiti is a long-term absentee, while Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin are targeting an early December return timeline. Meanwhile, there is no news regarding Daisuke Yokota, who underwent surgery alongside Shankland in London. Ross McCrorie has also been missing from recent matchday squads.

The most pressing concern, however, surrounds Tochi Chukwuani. Speaking in his pre-press conference on Thursday, 29 October, McInnes revealed that the midfielder picked up knee discomfort overnight and will undergo a scan on Thursday afternoon. While the issue is not deemed serious, Chukwuani is a major fitness doubt for Saturday.

Predicted XI: Emmanuel Fernandez to be dropped

A number of players left supporters wanting more during the 2-2 draw at Tynecastle, none more so than centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez. Calls for the Nigerian defender to be removed from the firing line have grown louder, and McInnes faces tough choices with three games in a heavy weekly schedule.

While defending Fernandez in the press by noting he was “outstanding on Saturday” against St Johnstone and possesses a “high ceiling”, McInnes acknowledged the need to weigh decisions “across the board, particularly when there are three games in the week.”

Despite the manager’s public defence, Fernandez looks set to drop out, with Ben Godfrey poised to step into the heart of defence. Dujon Sterling could also be handed a rest after enduring a taxing night in Gorgie, where he missed a golden chance in the dying seconds, paving the way for Kosta Nedeljkovic to start at right-back.

Further forward, McInnes’ decision to start Djeidi Gassama over Badredine Bouanani against Hearts was cut short by a 54th-minute substitution, and Bouanani is expected to return to the Rangers starting XI at Hampden. While Dan Neil and Nicolas Raskin are expected to anchor the midfield in Chukwuani’s absence, and Minsu Kim is likely to retain his place, wholesale changes are not anticipated.

Predicted XI (4-2-2-2):

TV details and where to watch Rangers vs Aberdeen