Rangers rounded off their January schedule with a 2-2 draw against FC Copenhagen at Ibrox. Goals from Rabbi Matondo and Cyriel Dessers were not enough for Philippe Clement's side as a Kevin Diks equaliser was followed by Johnly Yfeko's own goal. Both of the Danes' efforts came from corners.

Rangers will now turn their attentions to the Scottish Cup clash with Dumbarton on Saturday. The competitive action is back. The pressure is now on Clement's side once again.

A new look down the left flank

Injury and absence have opened the doors for Ridvan Yilmaz and Matondo. Time will tell if they are able to make the most of their respective chances. Or, in Yilmaz’s case, if he will be around long enough to play a part.

There is a certain irony in the Turkish internationalist being touted for a move away from Ibrox at a time when he seems to be finding his feet for Clement’s side. Interest from Italy and his homeland has been sustained and it will be for Clement and the man himself to determine his fate. While he is here, Rangers need to see him raising the bar once again after a welcome upturn in form.

He started brightly with a lovely pass down the left channel for Matondo to chase. A few minutes later, a burst forward and pass into Fabio Silva created a chance that Todd Cantwell spurned. Matondo did likewise with a wayward lob after Yilmaz knocked the ball over the top.

Yilmaz soon had his assist and Matondo had his goal. A sliding challenge in midfield saw Yilmaz intercept a pass ahead of Andreas Cornelius and the ball broke to Matondo. The rest was on him as a direct run and composed finish opened the scoring.

With Borna Barisic working his way back from injury and Abdallah Sima ruled out of contention while he represents Senegal, Rangers could well have an unfamiliar look down the left over the coming weeks. Yilmaz’s future remains in the balance this month and Matondo’s place is up for debate come the end of the season. For now, though, they could be integral to Rangers.

Silva getting up to speed

Rangers fans have seen glimpses of what Fabio Silva can and will bring to the team during the second half of the campaign. This was a useful run-out and an intriguing glimpse.

Chances were hard to come by for the Portuguese. He collected a Ross McCausland cut-back on his chest and saw his strike deflected over in the early stages. After that, he showed his speed of foot and speed of thought. 

He doesn't look like an out and out goal scorer. He is a clever, intuitive player, though, and he linked well with those around him at times. This was a good hour for him and he will surely get the nod to start against the Sons.

Silva is still waiting for his first goal for Rangers. It must come sooner rather than later. After that, Clement needs him to deliver if Rangers are to be successful this season.

Starting line-up a sign of things to come?

This was another fixture where the result was immaterial to Rangers. The same, of course, cannot be said about their next one or the many that will follow during a defining run of domestic outings. The trip to Dumbarton should take care of itself but the one to face Hibernian next Wednesday carries huge significance for Clement’s side as they seek to reduce their arrears in the title race.

Clement used the Copenhagen clash as a chance to get minutes into the legs and to help his side move through the gears on the back of their La Manga training camp and the defeat to Hertha Berlin. It was a more than useful exercise and many will feel the benefit of it. Clement won’t read too much into it, but his starting line-up was perhaps indicative. Is this side – apart from the suspended Connor Goldson – the one that will start at Easter Road?

If Yilmaz is still at the club, there is every chance he will start at left-back. In the final third, Matondo is the obvious man to fill the berth vacated by Sima during his time at AFCON. Nicolas Raskin is ahead of his fellow midfielders who have been through their own injury issues and will surely start next Wednesday evening.

Clement will have a decision to make over who partners Leon Balogun as Goldson misses out. Unless the Belgian makes moves in the transfer market, he will have few other choices to ponder.

Ibrox injury curse strikes again

A glance at the team lines offered Clement and supporters encouragement. It also saw familiar concerns and questions come to the fore as two names missed out at Ibrox. The returns of Barisic, Ryan Jack and Tom Lawrence were certainly welcomed but Clement cautioned in a pre-match interview with RangersTV that fans should not expect too much of them too soon. Their action here was limited to second half run-outs. The trio got the final 25 minutes alongside John Souttar, Yfeko, Leon King, Cole McKinnon, Jose Cifuentes and Dessers.

The update on Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling was a blow, though. Neither were listed here after sustaining injuries in recent days. Dowell caught his studs on the training pitch in La Manga and Sterling sustained a knock. He will be back towards the end of the week but Dowell’s timescale is unknown.

“He will be out quite a long time normally,” Clement said of the former Norwich midfielder. "We need to make an assessment around that and how many weeks but he will not be back in the next couple of weeks that's for sure.”

Rangers started the window in need of a striker, or two preferably, and a wide attacker. The situation with Yilmaz could see a left-back arrive. With Dowell sidelined and doubts over the robustness of the likes of Jack and Lawrence, many will see a midfield recruit as a requirement.

Laudrup return a treat for home crowd

The backing that Rangers supporters give their team should certainly never be taken for granted. It should not come as a surprise, either. This was another example of that as just under 24,000 turned out for this friendly fixture.

The snow that was forecasted to blanket this part of the country, and many others, over the course of Tuesday did not materialise in the end. And, as freezing as it was as the temperatures plummeted, it was perhaps not as bitingly cold as many would have feared.

There was, though, little to attract the punters out in their thousands on a January evening. That is what they did, however. Tickets for this one were priced sensibly and Rangers benefitted with a more than creditable turnout in the circumstances.

Many would have taken the opportunity to bring their kids to Ibrox. Others would have taken their seats for the first time in a long time. This famous arena was never going to be bouncing but there were fewer empty seats than many would have predicted as the crowd welcomed Clement’s side and the Union Bears provided some sense of atmosphere.

It was a worthwhile venture out for the fans that did so. This wasn’t a classic by any stretch but it was a solid showing from Rangers and there was enough to send the punters home encouraged.

For many, the highlight would have come at half-time. The sight of Brian Laudrup back on the Ibrox pitch was one to behold and the Dane got a fitting reception as he recalled his nine-in-a-row header and paid tribute to Walter Smith.