Rangers duo Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack close to first-team return
Rangers will face Brondby in their next Europa League clash on Thursday at Ibrox.
Ahead of the game, Steven Gerrard has confirmed that he has no major injury issues at the moment.
However, the likes of Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack – both have been missing for a while with respective injuries – are expected to return shortly.
Kent picked up a hamstring injury against Lyon in the opening Europa League game, and he hasn’t played since. Gerrard has suggested that he is “closer” to returning to first-team action, but the game may have come too soon for him.
Likewise, Ryan Jack has been out for a while. He had undergone surgery and missed the Euro championships this summer. He is likely to miss the next two games, and Gerrard is hopeful that he would be able to return against Aberdeen.
He said: “Everyone has got through the weekend. Ryan Kent is closer, but this game is a little bit too soon. Ryan Jack is progressing and should be back in training around the Aberdeen match.”
Crucial game
The Gers have lost their opening two Europa League matches, and this is a must-win game for them.
Rangers won the SPFL title at a canter last season, but they have been pretty ordinary thus far, failing to hit the dizzy heights they had set for themselves.
On the domestic front, there’s more competition this time, and Rangers only lead the table from Hearts by a single point.
However, the focus now shifts elsewhere, and Rangers must win this game to kick-start their European campaign and stay alive in the competition. Another defeat will end all hopes of qualifying to the next round.
What has been really surprising is the lack of goals from the Gers strikers. Alfredo Morelos has been the club’s top goalscorer in the previous campaigns, but he hasn’t been able to replicate his Midas touch.
With Kent and Jack set to return shortly, Rangers are expected to get even better. The primary task here is to win on Thursday, and Gerrard will be expecting a solid performance from his strikers.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart exploded on Twitter after a tweet by a Gers fan tipped him over the edge.