Sickness bug sweeping through Rangers squad before crunch clash with Aberdeen
Michael Beale’s Rangers side have been struck by a sickness bug ahead of their Scottish Premiership encounter with Aberdeen tonight (Tuesday 20 December), according to The Times.
The Gers manager will look to make it back-to-back wins in the league at the Pittodrie Stadium after a nervy 3-2 win over Hibernian helped him get off to a positive start at Ibrox.
Beale inherited an injury-ravaged squad from predecessor Giovanni van Bronckhorst but could welcome Conor Goldson back into the fold following a lengthy layoff with a thigh injury.
Whether to blood the centre-back straight into the starting XI against Aberdeen has been complicated by the sickness bug sweeping through the squad.
Journalist Paul Forsyth wrote: “Goldson could start tonight, although Davies is also back in contention, and it might be that one of them is used only as a substitute. Beale isn’t sure that either would last the 90 minutes.
“A sickness bug is doing the rounds, which complicates matters further, as does the Barisic situation. He is in Croatia with his international team-mates, whose performance at the World Cup finals is being recognised.”
Last thing Beale needs
Life at Rangers is never simple, is it?
One step forward and three steps back seems to be the common theme at Ibrox this season, and a potential sickness bug comes as another blow in a crucial part of the season.
With this tough trip to Aberdeen followed by an away fixture against Ross County on Friday (23 December), fans will hope the sickness bug hasn’t affected any of their first-team stars, with the squad already depleted due to injuries.
The back-four conundrum doesn’t need any more complication, but a reshuffle of the pack could be in order if any of the back-four is out with illness.
For Goldson, this quick turnaround between the two matches will be a sure test of his fitness, and Beale will likely only play him in a cameo role.
With the Old Firm derby waiting on the horizon, the festive period takes on a new importance. Rangers must start closing the gap down to the Hoops, and the only way to do that is to keep on winning football matches.
In other Rangers news, Charlie Nicholas savages Ibrox star as he names Michael Beale’s “biggest concern” at the club.