Injured Rangers trio Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic and Gareth McAuley were all back in training today in a major boost for the squad.
Both Ryan Jack and Borna Barisic are key members of Steven Gerrard’s staring eleven and their appearance at the Hummel Training Centre is a welcome sight.
Gareth McAuley is yet to play for Rangers but that might not be for much longer.
Serious strength in depth for Rangers
The fact these three players weren’t in the squad for Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of St. Johnstone shows just how stronger the squad is at Ibrox.
Jack also missed last Thursday’s superb 2-2 with Villarreal. Given just how much a key player he has been this season, the deputising Andy Halliday did a magnificent job.
Barisic was also superb in Spain, his positioning for the second goal aside. Jon Flanagan was a more than able deputy on Sunday on that unfamiliar left-hand side.
McAuley, really the old head amongst Rangers centre backs, will have a job getting into the team. Goldson and Katic have been formidable, whilst Joe Worrall will be desperate for more game time after impressing in Spain. I still think he’ll get his chance in blue.
This injured Rangers trio coming back into the team just shows how solid the options Rangers have are.
All three will miss tomorrow’s Ayr tie
Tomorrow’s game with Ayr will almost certainly be used as an opportunity to tinker with the first XI.
Expect to see players who’ve been injured more longer term – such as Rossiter, Wallace and Dorrans – to come back into the squad.
I’d expect Barisic and Jack to be involved in some capacity against Livingston on Sunday.
Whether McAuley will be remains to be seen.
Here’s a look back at the last time Rangers faced the Honest Men.
