Preview: Rangers vs. Hibernian

Rangers return to Scottish Championship action for the first time in over a month when they host close rivals Hibernian on Friday evening.

The Gers have suffered two damaging cup defeats since beating Alloa Athletic 1-0 in their last league match on January 10.

The Blue side of Glasgow lost the first Old Firm derby in three years as Celtic pipped them to the Scottish League Cup final, while their hopes of Scottish Cup success were surprisingly ended by Raith Rovers last weekend.

Caretaker boss Kenny McDowall was forced to apologise for the result and is still feeling the effects.

Captain Lee McCulloch has been handed a two-game ban for allegedly stamping on Raith forward Dale Carrick deliberately, although he has contested the charge and will learn his fate at a hearing on Thursday.

Darren McGregor could replace him in the Rangers defence, with Newcastle United loanees Remie Streete and Haris Vuckic continuing in the team and being joined by fellow Magpie Shane Ferguson on the left wing.

Gael Bigirimana, and Kevin Mbabu also swapped St James' Park for Scotland as part of Mike Ashley's deadline-day reshuffle, but may be left out again, despite instructions from Tyneside that they must play.

During their time of non-activity in the league, leaders Hearts have opened up a mammoth 19-point gap on Rangers at the top of the table and Hibernian have closed to within one point of them in third.

An eight-game unbeaten run, which includes a 4-0 thrashing of the Gers at Easter Road in December, has compensated for a slow start to the season, although Rangers have three games in hand on both of the Edinburgh clubs.

Manager Alan Stubbs may only make one change to the team which beat Arbroath 3-1 in the Scottish Cup, with Congolese striker Dominique Malonga back from the Africa Cup of Nations and poised for a recall.

Former Wigan Athletic midfielder Fraser Fyvie should make his league debut after signing on a free transfer.

Rangers:

Form in Scottish Championship: WLWLWW Form in all competitions: WLWWLL

Possible starting lineup: Simonsen; Foster, Streete, McGregor, Wallace; Vuckic, Hutton, Law, Ferguson; Miller, Daly

Hibernian:

Form in Scottish Championship: WDDWWD Form in all competitions: DDWWDW

Possible starting lineup: Oxley; Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine; Robertson, Craig, Stevenson, Allan, Fyvie; Malonga, Cummings

Sports Mole says: 2-2