Fashion Sakala missed Rangers defeat to Dundee United with minor injury
Fashion Sakala was absent from the Rangers squad that surrendered their 40-game unbeaten run in the Premiership on Saturday but there are no major concerns over his fitness.
That’s according to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell writing on Sunday morning, the day after Dundee United downed the Gers 1-0 at Tannadice.
Allaying any fan fears, Campbell wrote on The Athletic: “It is understood Fashion Sakala was left out of the squad because of a minor injury.”
Back for the big one?
Campbell hasn’t detailed how long Sakala is expected to be out for after missing Saturday’s defeat, but it sounds fairly innocuous after he used the word ‘minor’.
That will offer hope to Rangers fans desperate to see him return to the squad as we prepare for one of our biggest games in recent memory as Malmo visit Ibrox on Tuesday.
The Swedish outfit hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg and with UEFA scrapping the away goals rule at the start of the season, a 1-0 win at home won’t be enough to send the Gers through without needing extra time.
It does mean the game could open out more in the second half as Steven Gerrard’s side shouldn’t be worried about the jeopardy of conceding multiple away goals.
The aim is clear – score two more than Malmo, and we qualify for the Champions League group stage.
Sakala is unlikely to start on Tuesday – Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Scott Wright may get the nod as the attacking trio – but his energy and enthusiasm off the bench could be vital to punish tiring Malmo legs.
We’ve not see huge amounts of the Zambian forward since he arrived at the club but he has shown flashes of brilliance and he even scored versus Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly last month.
Fingers crossed he pulls through any late fitness tests ahead of Tuesday’s crunch clash.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton tweets instant reaction as the Gers lose 40-match Premiership unbeaten run.