4/10 Rangers man just sealed his fate under McInnes after Dundee Utd

Rangers’ Opening-Day Woes Continue as Dundee United Hold Them to a Draw

Rangers’ miserable run on Scottish Premiership opening days stretched into a fourth year after they could only muster a 1-1 draw against Dundee United on Friday night.

The Light Blues fell behind early and, despite a stunning left-footed equalizer from Thelo Aasgaard, they couldn’t find a winner.

Manager Derek McInnes will have been frustrated by a number of below-par performances, though the Norwegian international stood out as a rare bright spark. Aasgaard started in the number ten role behind Lawrence Shankland before shifting to the left flank after the break.

McInnes’ Tactical Gamble Backfires

Team news raised eyebrows when Youssef Chermiti was named on the bench while Ryan Naderi got the nod. Many assumed the German would partner Shankland up front in a two-striker system, but instead, he was deployed on the right wing in a 4-2-3-1—a decision that left Rangers unbalanced.

Naderi’s tendency to drift inside left Dujon Sterling—hardly a creative force from full-back—with the burden of providing width down the right.

McInnes quickly admitted his error, hooking the former Hansa Rostock forward at half-time and introducing Mohamed Diomande on the right, which at least helped his side salvage a point.

Naderi’s struggles only reinforce why Rangers are chasing left-footed right-wingers like Besiktas’ Vaclav Cerny and Frosinone’s Fares Ghedjemis.

One Winger Who May Have Played His Last Game for Rangers

But while Naderi toiled on the right, it was the opposite flank where Rangers have a more urgent problem—and one player who may have already played his final Premiership minutes for the club.

After ruthlessly cashing in on Oliver Antman for over £4m, Rangers should now turn their attention to moving on Djeidi Gassama. The Mauritanian winger limped to the end of last season with just one goal in his final 17 appearances, and he carried that form into the new campaign.

Gassama was hauled off at half-time against Dundee United after a dire showing: just 55% pass completion and a meager 0.02 expected assists.

By contrast, Aasgaard looked far more dangerous when he moved to the left in the second half, popping up with the crucial equalizer after drifting in from that flank.

With Aasgaard outperforming him, youngster Findlay Curtis emerging, and new right-wing targets being pursued, Gassama could quickly find himself frozen out under McInnes. The manager’s decision to sub him at the break speaks volumes—and his fate may already be sealed.

Curtis, who spent part of last season on loan at Kilmarnock, scored six Premiership goals across 24 appearances for both clubs, while Gassama managed just three in 38 games.

That suggests Rangers already have a better left-sided option to compete with Aasgaard, without needing to sign a direct replacement.

Rangers turned down a £10m bid from Monaco for Gassama in January, proving there’s still interest in him. Now is the time to strike while his stock hasn’t completely collapsed.

His form since last season, combined with his opening-day horror show, suggests his Ibrox future is bleak—and the club should cash in before his value plummets further.