Aaron Ramsey back for Rangers as Goodwin urges Aberdeen to 'raise their game' for Premiership clash

On-loan Rangers midfielder Aaron Ramsey will return to the squad for this weekend’s game against Aberdeen at Ibrox.

The Juventus star, who signed for the Ibrox club on the six-month loan deal in January, has barely played since arriving in Scotland from Serie A through reoccurring injury problems.

But he has made a return to the squad for Saturday as Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s men look to put pressure on league leaders Celtic with a win against the Dons.

Rangers are currently three points behind Celtic who don’t play until Sunday, when they face Livingston at Almondvale, but the Hoops’ superior goal-difference means it would take a ten goal win for their city-rivals to knock them off top spot.

Filip Helander and Ryan Jack also return to contention but Amad Diallo and Steven Davis are still missing, along with long-term absentees Ianis Hagi and Nnamdi Ofoborh.

Meanwhile Jim Goodwin, who brings his team to Glasgow sitting tenth in the Premiership, is looking for a reaction from his squad against the champions.

The former St Mirren manager, who replaced Stephen Glass at Aberdeen last month, called on his players to “raise their game” in a bid to rescue their top-six hopes.

The Dons drew twice against Rangers this season under Stephen Glass and could have had more from both games, so Goodwin knows they are capable of getting a result at Ibrox.

He said: “We need to try and carry on that unbeaten run against them.

“We know how difficult a task it is going to be. Rangers are playing particularly well at the moment and they have got a real consistency in their starting eleven as well and in the way Giovanni Van Bronckhorst wants his team to play.

“It is going to be a difficult task but we have to go into it with the right mindset and be positive.

“The players have shown in the past that they are capable of raising their game against the big boys. We will look for the same reaction.”

Aberdeen have lost Matty Kennedy to what Goodwin described as a “slight injury”.

Right-back Calvin Ramsay could return, while Jonny Hayes seems to have shaken off a head knock.

Celtic loanee Adam Montgomery, Marley Watkins, Mikey Devlin and Andrew Considine all remain sidelined.