Rangers seek Europa League respite, Villa face Feyenoord test

Beleaguered Rangers manager Russell Martin finally scraped to his first Scottish Premiership win in charge at the weekend and next takes his struggling side to Austria to face Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday.

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The former Southampton boss was brought in with the goal of reaching the Champions League proper and challenging Celtic for the domestic title.

Rangers finished second in the Premiership last season, 17 points behind their Glasgow rivals, after sacking Philippe Clement midway through the campaign.

The nervy 2-1 victory at lowly Livingston on Sunday left Rangers eighth in the 12-team table, already nine points behind surprise leaders Hearts.

Rangers, despite only winning one Scottish title since 2011, have found some respite in Europe in recent years, reaching the 2022 Europa League final and the quarterfinals last term.

But continental football has just piled on the misery so far this campaign.

A humiliating 9-1 aggregate thrashing in Champions League qualifying by Club Brugge was followed by a tame 1-0 home loss to Genk in their Europa League opener.