So, we’ve flirted around this topic but the reality is Rangers are presently suffering the biggest squad crisis to have hit them in years.
We can rarely remember a time when we lost this many players to suspension and injury, and Ibrox Noise takes you through the lot, player by player:
Allan McGregor:
Obviously out, McGregor was banned for two matches and this is the first one he’ll sit out.
Alfredo Morelos:
Yes, the three-match ban still has two matches to run, this being the second. Rangers have another 180 minutes without the services of the Colombian.
Graham Dorrans:
Ok so he was about as likely to play as yours truly, but Dorrans has suffered ‘another setback’ and frankly we’re on the verge of completely giving up on him. His prognosis; unknown. His ETA; unknown.
Jamie Murphy:
He’s resumed kicking the ball but Gerrard has stuck to April/May time at the earliest for Murphy. He had looked in Tenerife like he might be ahead of schedule but it seems he’s more on schedule.
Eros Grezda:
This seems to have been a bad one – picked up a bad muscle injury in Tenerife and while this may be knee jerk, he could well have cost his season – Gerrard has admitted he’s a while away yet, in those words, and we couldn’t even guess when the lad will be back.
Kyle Lafferty:
Has felt his hammie pull in training and is a huge doubt for today – there’s every small chance he’ll still make it but that likelihood is slim.
Jermain Defoe:
Has also picked up a tweak in training, in his case calf, and like Lafferty will be given to the last minute to prove fitness. But we don’t expect it.
It’s quite a hefty loss of seven significant players at Ibrox to lose – and for the entire front line to be lost is a hell of a blow to say the least. Hopefully our manager earns his big bucks and can reshuffle!