Rangers host St Mirren tonight in a crucial match and the usual ‘must win’ scenario, but manager Steven Gerrard has a big opportunity to do two huge things one fell swoop:

• Confirm real belief in the youth system by selecting Nathan Patterson again.
• Confirm complete loss of faith or rating in both Matt Polster and Jon Flanagan by overlooking them in favour of the 18-year old.

In truth, Polster has been so far off the first team his being excluded tonight would be no stunning news, but Flanagan’s absence from the XI despite James Tavernier’s ongoing recovery from an appendix issue would be the final nail in the ex-Scouser’s coffin as a Ranger.

Patterson of course impressed hugely in that role v the minnows of Stranraer, but doing it in the SPL even v lowly ST Mirren is a different kettle of fish and if selected Gerrard is installing a lot of faith in him and the youth academy to say the least.

Especially in light of the two senior alternatives and the calibre of the player he’s replacing.

We will be very very interested to see what call he goes with this evening…