Pat McGinlay

He's another very experienced player and he will certainly not be fazed by the challenge in prospect.

His great asset is his ability to get forward, and although he is not getting any younger, he still carries a goalscoring threat.

He could be the one player who could get forward from midfield to support the Ayr strikers.

It's vitally important to every team to have goalscoring midfielders and McGinlay has shown over the years that he will almost guarantee his team in excess of 10 goals a season.

Of course, he has a cup winner's medal from his time with Hibs and he will have no trouble handling the situation.

Obviously there are players at Ayr who might be a little intimidated by the occasion on Sunday, but McGinlay will be able help these players settle their nerves.

Gordon Dalziel has an excellent blend of older and younger players at Somerset Park and McGinlay will certainly be a calming influence in the dressing room.

James Grady

With first-choice strikers Eddie Annand and Scott Crabbe unavailable for Sunday's game, Grady might be the player who gives Rangers most problems.

He has an abundance of pace and Rangers will not relish the prospect of coming up against this bustling little striker.

Grady is a very determined player who will give you 100% for the full 90 minutes.

He will chase and harry throughout the game and will not allow the Rangers defence to settle.

Of course, Grady is another of Ayr's many players who has played at Premier League level.

These players will all be anxious to show they can still compete at that level.

They will be determined to make a name for themselves and Ayr and they will be looking forward to playing against Rangers' big stars.

Rangers

Lorenzo Amoruso

Amoruso has been at the top of his game this season.

In the past, Amoruso might have been prone to make a couple of slip-ups in a game against so-called lower opposition.

But I think he has eradicated that from his game and the complacency against lesser oppostion has gone.

He has been earning a lot of praise and he knows he has to be on top form every week to keep up the high standards he's set.

A lot of that has to be put down to the arrival of Alex McLeish. He has obviously given Amoruso a real boost.

This is also the type of big-game atmosphere that Amoruso loves.

He is a big-game player and he thrives in this type of environment.

Barry Ferguson

The Rangers captain is another player who is on top form at the moment.

One or two people knocked him mid-season, saying that he hadn't improved since he was touted as the next big thing.

All of a sudden, though, he is performing like the player he was expected to be back then.

He is getting on the ball as much as he can, trying to pick up the pace of the game, to move Rangers forward.

He has shown he can take the responsibility of the captaincy although he is still inclined to dive into challenges and raise his arms.

He has improved the shooting aspect of his game to an extent, but that is still something he has to work on.

As Rangers captain, he will be itching to get his hands on the first cup of the season.

Peter Lovenkrands

All of a sudden, under Alex McLeish's tenure, Lovenkrands looks a good player.

He has shown he can be a goalscoring threat, although he is a typical winger in that he can be inconsistent.

But with his pace and his ability to create goals he is exactly the type of player needed in modern-day football.

He will be beginning to think he is a first-choice player at the club and that will be helping his confidence immensely.

Wingers, especially, need confidence to thrive and he certainly seems to be revelling in the roles he has been asked to fill recently, whether its on the wing or through the middle as against Feyenoord.

If he can get in mind the Ayr defence early and possibly create a few openings, he could be a big player for Rangers.

Murdo's prediction: Ayr United 1-3 Rangers