Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has provided injury updates on James Tavernier and Filip Helander ahead of the Scottish Cup clash against Stranraer, as quoted by the Official Rangers Twitter.
Online rumours had circulated on Wednesday suggesting that Tavernier would miss an extended period with an appendix problem, while Helander has been out since the League Cup final with a foot injury.
Both of those issues have now been cleared up.
“Squad is pretty good after Dubai,” said Gerrard, as quoted by the Rangers Twitter. “The Tavernier rumours are untrue he will miss a couple of weeks not a good few months as was speculated. He had a quick procedure and is now recovering.”
“Tavernier’s appendix could have been a worse issue but we got the right people on it. Nobody wants to lose their captain for a small period of time. There was no issue in Dubai but when he returned he was in discomfort.
“Helander will be at least a month away before he can return.”
Verdict
It’s a blow for the Gers to be without their influential skipper for a couple of weeks, but it’s nowhere near as devastating a setback as some had been suggesting.
The fixtures are set to come thick and fast, though, and there will be pressure on Jon Flanagan or Matt Polster to perform in the captain’s absence.
As for Helander, it’s disappointing, but not wholly unexpected news for the big Swede.
Given that he was spotted still in his protective boot during the mid-season trip to Dubai, he was always going to be some way off a return to action.
That means that Nikola Katic and Connor Goldson will continue as the centre-back pairing for the foreseeable, with George Edmundson the next cab off the rank.
