RANGERS travel to Vienna on Thursday evening knowing that only a win will do if they’re to make it out of the group stages of the Europa League and secure European football in the new year for the first time since the 2010/11 season. Rapid Vienna are all that stand between Rangers and qualification, and only require a draw if they want to secure a last 32 berth.

The fixture is certainly a tricky-but-winnable match for Steven Gerrard’s men. Rangers won the reverse fixture 3-1 thanks to James Tavernier’s penalty and a double from Alfredo Morelos, but could find that Rapid Vienna are an altogether different prospect when playing at home.

Rapid are unbeaten at home in Europe this season after four games, overcoming Slovan Bratislava and Steaua Bucharest in the qualifying rounds before beating Spartak Moscow 2-0 and a scoreless draw with Villareal in the following group stage fixture. Rangers’ own away form - both in Europe and domestically - has been patchy at best and they will need to improve in this regard if they’re to have any hope of making it out of the group.

Gerrard will be hoping that left back Borna Barisic will be fit enough to start on Thursday night after Jon Flanagan has generally struggled against European opposition in the Croatian’s absence. Of the eight goals Rangers have conceded in the group stages, five have come from opposition attacks down the right wing. This represents a glaring weakness in the Rangers defence and if Flanagan starts, it could cost Rangers their qualification hopes.

Away to Spartak Moscow, Flanagan was responsible for three of the goals that Rangers conceded. Time and time again Flanagan was either caught out of position, failed to close down a cross or make a successful tackle and it ultimately cost Rangers the match. During the 3-1 win for Rangers over Rapid Vienna at Ibrox, Flanagan was again at fault for the visitors’ goal; the Austrians took advantage of the ex-Liverpool player being too far forward, exploited the space and found the back of the net.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Barisic would remedy this problem. After all, the 26-year-old was similarly at fault for Villareal’s second when Rangers travelled to Spain for the opening match of the group stages, finding himself too far away from his man when he was played through on goal. But from what we’ve seen of Barisic, he offers a touch more defensive solidity and positional awareness than Flanagan and could make the difference on Thursday night.

Rapid Vienna have their own defensive issues and look especially vulnerable at right back, which could provide an opening for Rangers to attack. Rapid’s 19-year-old full back Mert Muldur has been caught out on more than one occasion in the Europa League this season and Gerrard must try to take advantage of the Turkish defender’s inexperience.

The Austrian club have given away nine goals in the Europa League group stages so far, with no fewer than six of them coming from opposition attacks down the left wing. Muldur had a particularly poor game away to Villareal and was directly at fault for four of the five goals that the visitors conceded. Whoever starts on the left for Gerrard’s side - most likely Ryan Kent, Eros Grezda or Glenn Middleton - should have plenty of space to run into and could ultimately swing the match in Rangers’ favour.

Rapid Vienna generally play with a high line - something that could actually suit Rangers in this match. The Austrians have looked vulnerable to counter attacks and with Gerrard having a number of pacy wingers to choose from, this is certainly an area of the pitch where Rangers could turn the situation to their advantage. Gerrard will be without the services of Daniel Candeias following his red card against Villareal but this isn’t necessarily a problem for Rangers. Candeias has done well in Europe this season, but lacks the pace to effectively counter attack and carry the ball 30 or 40 yards up the touchline.

One thing that Gerrard will have surely noted ahead of Thursday night’s game is that Rapid Vienna can be a little sloppy in possession. On average, the Austrians give the ball away 107 times per match in Europe - the ninth-highest rate of any team in the Europa League this season.

Encouragingly, Rangers have proven to be one of the most adept sides at intercepting the ball in this year’s Europa League and as a result are perfectly-equipped to take advantage of any loose passes from the home side. Only Spartak Moscow, BATE and Sarpsborg have completed more interceptions than Gerrard’s side in the Europa League this campaign and this proclivity for winning the ball back should prove highly useful in Vienna.

Rangers’ high success rate at interceptions, combined with Rapid’s tendency to give the ball away cheaply, gives the Ibrox club a fantastic opportunity to hurt Rapid on the break. Add to this the fact that the Austrians generally play with a high defensive line - and look a little soft at right back - Gerrard can formulate a gameplan that plays to Rangers’ strengths. Rangers must play a high-intensity, high-pressing game and look to get the ball out to their wingers as soon as they wrestle possession back from Rapid Vienna. By doing so, Gerrard would maximise his own team’s strengths while at the same time exploiting Rapid’s greatest weaknesses.