James Tavernier was not in the Rangers squad for the final home game of the season against Hibernian, with Dujon Sterling starting at right-back instead. Thelo Aasgaard came into midfield for Rangers, replacing Tochi Chukwuani, as the home side looked to finish the season at Ibrox without their long-serving captain.
There was no Ibrox farewell for Tavernier, the most notable selection call in a match that also saw Hibs keep faith with the side that beat Falkirk on Saturday. Josh Mulligan, out of action since January with an ankle problem, was back on the Hibs bench, offering a lift after a long absence.
The team news also carried changes elsewhere. Hearts made four changes from their 1-1 draw at Motherwell, with Cammy Devlin, Harry Milne, Frankie Kent and Alexandros Kyziridis all coming into the starting line-up. Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard missed out entirely because of Achilles injuries, a setback that left Hearts short of two options they would usually expect to have available.
Falkirk, meanwhile, were forced into a defensive reshuffle after Filip Lissah and Leon McCann hobbled off in Saturday's defeat by Hibs. Lewis Neilson was ineligible against his parent club and Barney Stewart did not make the squad, so Liam Henderson, Coll Donaldson and Sam Hart started in defence, while Ben Braggio was brought into the forward line. The changes reflected the strain of a match list that has left little margin for injury or suspension.
Motherwell also made three changes to the side that started their 1-1 draw with Hearts. Tom Sparrow, Johnny Koutroumbis and Lukas Fadinger came into the team, while Liam Gordon and Oscar Priestman dropped to the bench and Stephen Welsh was ineligible to face his parent club. It was a reminder that the season's final stretch is being shaped as much by absences as by form, with managers across the division adjusting as much to availability as to tactics.
For Rangers, though, the headline was simpler than the rest. The final home game of the season came without Tavernier, and that alone gave the evening a different feel. With Sterling at right-back and Aasgaard starting in midfield, the side had a new look for a fixture that carried the practical business of finishing well and the symbolic weight of a captain left waiting for another day.
