Rangers v Celtic: Surprise captain possible after Jack Butland news
Liam Kelly may be named Rangers captain against Celtic after James Tavernier and Jack Butland were both ruled out, Stevie Clifford has said.
The Four Lads Had a Dream podcaster posted on X (1 January) following news that Butland would miss the Old Firm clash on 2 January after being rushed to hospital, meaning Kelly will come in.
With John Souttar also out injured until the end of January and Leon Balogun facing a late fitness test to determine if he can feature [Gordon Duncan, 31 December], Philippe Clement may be forced into naming Kelly as his stand-in skipper.
“Butland, Tavernier, (John) Souttar, potentially Balogun, means our whole experience is ripped out”, Clifford said.
“Liam Kelly comes in & may even captain the side given the lack of obvious replacements. It was going to be difficult, it’s now a huge task.”
Rangers have a mountain to climb v Celtic with Jack Butland out
For all that Butland’s form this season – and particularly in recent weeks – has seen a huge drop-off from the performances he displayed last term, few Gers fans wouldn’t want to see him start against Celtic.
Kelly, who returned to the club where his career began via a free transfer from Motherwell last summer, only made his debut in Light Blue against Dundee last month, and now looks set to regain his place.
Kelly was on the books between 2006 and 2018 without making a senior appearance, and he’s arguably still one of the most experienced players in the squad despite his lack of minutes this term.
Clement could be without four of his first-choice back five against the Light Blues’ biggest rivals on Thursday, and as such, whatever defensive experience he can get onto the pitch will be absolutely vital.
Few other names stand out when it comes to captaincy candidates in Tavernier and Butland’s absences, and given Gers fans were hardly optimistic before the latter’s injury, they’ll now be fearing the worst.
In other Rangers news, Clement is facing added pressure to prevent Celtic and Brendan Rodgers from claiming two records.
For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.