Pundit opinion of “Gifted”: Forgotten Rangers ace now needs a five-game run as a crucial opportunity presents itself.

Alex Lowry needs to be given a run of games in the side if he is ever going to be able to make a breakthrough at Rangers, according to Derek Ferguson.

The homegrown attacker has seen his Gers career stall badly after breaking through as a teenager and is currently stuck in the B Team without a senior appearance since the end of Michael Beale’s first season in charge.

But with Rabbi Matondo out with a long-term injury, Oscar Cortes still returning to fitness, and both Scott Wright and Todd Cantwell sold a make-or-break opportunity looks to have presented itself for the 21-year-old to stake a claim under Philippe Clement.

Ferguson believes the pressure of trying to make an impact from brief appearances off the bench has been too great for Lowry to really show what he can do and some sustained involvement could see him prove his worth to the manager.

He exclusively told Ibrox News: “I’ve always liked Alex, not just because he’s a homegrown lad, you can see that he’s a gifted player. 

“He’s had opportunities, he’s maybe not grasped them in terms of production, but he’s only had limited time on the park. 

“I discussed this with one of my friends. He probably needs to be told you’re going to get three, four, five games to prove your worth. 

“Sometimes when you’ve got these young guys and they’ve only got 45 minutes a game to go in and prove your worth.

“Maybe the pressure gets to them, maybe it’s a bit too much for them. Sometimes would it not be better to give them a run of games.” 

Alex Lowry impresses in Rangers B Team alongside Ianis Hagi

Clement has proven to be quite rigid in his assessment of which players he sees as part of his plans and those he doesn’t.

But Lowry turned down a departure to Carlisle United during the summer [News & Star, 30 August] and there is no reason why the Belgian couldn’t give him a look in now he is down to just two fit wingers in Ross McCausland and Vaclav Cerny.

The Scot has impressed in his outings for the B Team in recent weeks and surely has more of a chance of an elevation to the senior side than Ianis Hagi has, with a contract clause in the way [Daily Record, 13 August] and Clement adamant he isn’t part of the plans [Daily Mail, 31 August].