Scottish Football: Gascoigne back for resurgent Rangers

Paul Gascoigne, who missed Rangers' midweek European spectacular in Vladikavkaz due to suspension, is due to make his first full appearance of the season against Dundee United in the Bell's Premier Division at Ibrox today.

Gascoigne starts his first major game since the European Championship semi-final between England and Germany, as Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, changes the line-up that won 7-2 in Russia. One man who will surely play, though, is Ally McCoist, with seven goals in his last three games.

The Dundee United manager, Billy Kirkwood, who left the Ibrox backroom staff to take over at Tannadice, will be without his two most experienced players at Ibrox: the injured Maurice Malpas and the suspended Dave Bowman. Kirkwood has made the former Rangers defender, Steven Pressley, captain in Bowman's absence. It will be Pressley's first game at Ibrox since he left for Coventry almost two years ago.

The Celtic manager, Tommy Burns, takes his side back to to his old club, Kilmarnock. "We have only won there once since I left and, while we should have won twice last season when the games ended goalless, Killie always make it hard," Burns said.

Celtic will make a late decision on Alan Stubbs' fitness, while the Italian winger Paolo Di Canio is still short of fitness but should be on the bench. Their captain, Paul McStay, has been told to rest his ankle injury for a couple of weeks.

Kilmarnock are looking for their first victory against either of the Old Firm teams under Alex Totten, in his third season as manager there. "The important thing against Rangers or Celtic is to concentrate for the full 90 minutes," Totten said yesterday.