Gio van Bronckhorst's Rangers side take a break from Premiership action this weekend as they head into the next round of the Scottish Cup.

They are set to face off against League Two outfit Annan Athletic after back-to-back wins in the league against Hearts and Hibernian by an aggregate scoreline of 7-0.

Playing against lower league opposition could allow Van Bronckhorst to make a host of changes to his starting XI, offering fringe players an opportunity to impress.

Unleash him

One player he must unleash from the start on Saturday is Aaron Ramsey after his January arrival on loan from Juventus.

He is yet to make his full debut for the Gers after coming off the bench in both of the last two games for cameos towards the end. This match has now presented the Dutchman with a chance to hand the midfielder a place in the starting XI.

Not only would it be exciting for the fans to see him named in the XI for the first time, it would also give him a bank of minutes to build up his fitness. Playing against Annan could give him the match fitness he needs to then start in the Premiership in the weeks to come, which is why he must be handed a start this weekend.

Ross Wilson heaped praise on the Welsh dynamo on the day of his arrival at Ibrox, saying: “This is a really exciting signing for both Rangers and Aaron. As soon as I was made aware of the opportunity we had to bring Aaron to Rangers around a week ago, we have worked really hard to secure his signature.

“Not only is Aaron a world-class player who will play a key role in our team, his level of ability and professional standards will be an inspiration to our existing players."

These comments highlight the impact the 31-year-old could have on the players around him. This could be particularly useful in a match where Van Bronckhorst may want to utilise some of his younger players such as Alex Lowry and Leon King. Ramsey could guide them through the game with his vast experience at the top level, playing more than 400 times for Juventus and Arsenal combined.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst must unleash him from the start against Annan and offer Rangers fans the first chance to see him in the starting XI instead of coming off the bench. Hopefully he will be able to get 60-70 minutes under his belt and play a key role in the club progressing through to the next round.

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