Rangers missing SEVEN players ahead of hectic festive fixture run as injury crisis explodes and mystery surrounds star

Philippe Clement admitted the injury situation at Rangers was the worst he’d ever experienced when he vented his frustration a couple of months ago.

And the situation has only deteriorated since the exasperated Belgian addressed the catalogue of crocks at Ibrox as he faces up to a crucial festive run of fixtures with an absentee lists approaching almost double figures. It’s little wonder the Rangers manager was so unhappy with the challenge by Diallang Jaiyesimi on John Lundstram which earned the St Johnstone man a red card as the former Sheffield United midfielder was added to the lengthy injury list. And that came after the perennially injured Kemar Roofe had already gone off in frustration as the striker’s jinx struck again while mystery surrounds Ben Davies who has failed to make the bench in the last two games which would take the crock list to EIGHT.

Clement now faces the prospect of going to Fir Park to face Motherwell on Christmas Eve with just one fit recognised central midfielder in Kieran Dowell, with the former Everton man’s rare appearance in the 2-0 win over the Perth side one of the main big positives on a night when Rangers closed the gap on leaders Celtic to two points with a game in hand.

It means he’ll likely partner Dujon Sterling, who has been forced to play as a makeshift midfielder, in the engine room against the Steelmen. The Light Blues have eaten into their rivals lead at the Scottish Premiership summit but are now down to the bare bones for hugely important games, including that trip to Parkhead on December 30.

After the Lanarkshire trip on Sunday Rangers take on Ross County at Ibrox, the Old Firm derby in the east end of Glasgow and then a home clash at Kilmarnock before the winter break