Rangers are likely to be hit with a triple blow this week with the principal hearing for the five players charged by the SFA for breaching Covid regulations set to take place on Thursday [Scottishfa.co.uk].
Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey, Bongani Zungu, Dapo Mebude and Brian Kinnear are the players involved and it’s likely that substantial bans await.
Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were handed seven-match suspensions by the SFA in November after a similar incident.
Rangers will only really be affected by bans for Patterson, Bassey and Zungu, given that Mebude and Kinnear are out on loan at Queen of the South and Annan Athletic respectively.
If the trio are soon ineligible, though, it will provide Steven Gerrard with selection headaches over the coming weeks.
With James Tavernier currently out injured, Patterson is the only fit natural right-back in the first-team squad, with centre-back Leon Balogun struggling in his last two outings in the role.
That’s the main issue that likely awaits the manager, but there will also be some concerns regarding left-back and central midfield.
With James Maxwell out on loan, Calvin Bassey is the Gers’ only natural backup to Borna Barisic, so an injury to the Croatian international would leave the coaching staff searching for makeshift cover at left-back.
Finally, the absence of Zungu would leave Gerrard light in the middle of the park following an international break in which several Gers midfielders are set to play multiple matches for their respective nations.
If they receive similar bans to Jones and Edmundson, depending on how far Rangers get in the Scottish Cup, the trio may not be able to feature again this season.
That could mean that Amiens loanee Zungu has already played his final game for the club.
Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard is reportedly a candidate to take over as manager at a big Premier League club.
