Rangers captain James Tavernier has been dominated out of Thursday’s Previous Agency derby with an harm that can hold him on the sidelines for “a couple of weeks”.

Tavernier will miss the go to of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic after scan outcomes confirmed “clear harm” picked up throughout Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Motherwell.

The appropriate-back has created 39 possibilities for Rangers within the league this season, a complete solely bettered by team-mate Vaclav Cerny (40) within the Scottish Premiership.

It gives Philippe Clement a dilemma in defence, with John Souttar and Neraysho Kasanwirjo additionally nonetheless lacking with respective harm points.

Rangers at present discover themselves 14 factors behind their Previous Agency rivals within the Scottish Premiership, with a defeat on Thursday severely denting their title hopes this season.

However regardless of setbacks forward of kick-off, Clement was hopeful that Leon Balogun would return from his newest harm in time for the encounter at Ibrox.

“James has picked up an harm,” the Belgian stated. “We took a scan and there may be clear harm, and he can be out for a couple of weeks,” Clement stated.

“It’s a blow, and now we have had a couple of blows in that manner within the final weeks, the final months. There’s a small probability Leon Balogun may return. We’ll see after his particular person work.”

Clement is on the lookout for a response from his gamers as his aspect had been booed off at half-time throughout their draw with Motherwell final outing.

However the Rangers boss should do one thing he has by no means accomplished earlier than in his managerial profession, and that’s to beat Celtic.

Clement is but to emerge victorious towards Celtic in six makes an attempt in all competitions accountable for the membership (D2 L4).

The one supervisor to go as lengthy or longer earlier than profitable an Previous Agency derby (for both aspect) was William Wilton with the Gers from 1890 to 1893 (first eight).

Rangers have additionally loved only one win of their final 14 conferences with Celtic in all competitions (D4 L9), a 3-0 league victory in Could 2023 beneath Michael Beale.

“The final two video games we misplaced targets a little bit bit out of nothing, not with actually clear errors or being out of construction, completely not,” he insisted.

“In these final two video games, each time that they’ve had a shot on aim, it’s nearly a aim. These are the issues that typically occur in soccer, however not two video games in a row.”