NafisaRangers were given another huge boost last weekend when they swept Celtic aside with a commanding 3-0 victory at Ibrox.
But with the two rivals preparing to meet again at Celtic Park on Sunday, Derek McInnes has now delivered a major concern that could seriously affect his plans for the second Old Firm clash in just seven days.
The Rangers boss has confirmed that one of his key attacking players is now a doubt for the derby after suffering an ankle injury during last weekend’s meeting with Celtic.
And McInnes has made it clear that Rangers are far from happy about the circumstances surrounding the injury.
The issue centres on an incident involving Celtic midfielder Mika Baur and Rangers striker Ryan Naderi during the second half of the League Cup quarter-final.
Naderi was forced off after around 70 minutes following the challenge, but what has particularly frustrated Rangers is what happened — or rather, what did not happen — after the incident.
The referee did not go to the pitchside monitor to review the challenge, while Baur was not booked. Rangers were instead awarded no advantage from the incident, with the free-kick going Celtic’s way.
Now, just two days before another Old Firm meeting, McInnes has revealed the full extent of the concern.
Rangers have contacted the SFA over Naderi incident
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Parkhead, McInnes confirmed that Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie has already spoken to Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum about the challenge.
That means the issue has continued well beyond the final whistle of Rangers’ 3-0 victory.
McInnes was careful not to turn his entire press conference into a discussion about refereeing, but he made his frustration over the incident perfectly clear.
“I’m really not happy with the challenge, but I’m not going to get caught up in referee chat. I’m surprised that the referee wasn’t asked to look at that. I find it strange that it wasn’t. Ryan’s ankle’s a mess. It was a mess, it was a poor challenge.”
The Rangers boss’ comments have now added another layer of drama to an already heated Old Firm build-up.
Because while Rangers are heading into the game after dismantling Celtic last Sunday, they could now be forced to do so again without one of the players who featured prominently in that victory.
And McInnes has confirmed that Naderi is one of two Rangers players currently considered doubts for Sunday’s match.
McInnes confirms the terrible Naderi update
The timing could hardly be worse for Rangers.
Naderi was involved in the previous derby and has been part of McInnes’ attacking options, but his ankle problem means his participation at Celtic Park is now uncertain.
McInnes admitted that Rangers do not have a straightforward like-for-like replacement if the German striker fails to recover in time.
“We don’t really have another like-for-like, but we’ll give him every chance,” McInnes said.
“We’ve had to cope without key players before. I’m hoping he can make it, but if he doesn’t, it will be somebody else’s opportunity.”
The situation is even more significant because Rangers are already without other attacking options through injury.
Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti are unavailable, meaning Naderi’s absence would leave Kevin Kelsy and Bojan Miovski as the two available strikers mentioned by McInnes.
That leaves Rangers facing a potentially awkward selection problem immediately before one of the biggest games of their season.
Celtic challenge has created fresh Old Firm controversy:
The Naderi situation has also ensured that the fallout from last Sunday’s match has not disappeared.
Rangers produced one of their most impressive performances of the campaign to defeat Celtic 3-0, with Dan Neil scoring twice and Kevin Kelsy also finding the net.
But rather than simply being remembered as a dominant Rangers victory, the match has now left a significant injury concern hanging over the rematch.
McInnes has already said Rangers will need another major performance if they are to repeat their success at Celtic Park.
The manager’s official pre-match message was clear: the 3-0 win has to be put to one side and Rangers must produce another big performance seven days later.
The Naderi situation could therefore become one of the biggest talking points before kick-off.
Rangers have made their concerns known to the SFA, McInnes has described the ankle as “a mess”, and the striker’s availability remains uncertain.
For Rangers, the hope now is simple: that Naderi can recover quickly enough to take his place in the squad.
Because after beating Celtic 3-0 last weekend, McInnes now has to prepare for the possibility that the same opponents could have indirectly taken one of his attacking options away from him before the rematch.
And with the second Old Firm derby arriving on Sunday, Rangers will discover soon enough whether Naderi can make it — or whether McInnes will have to find another solution against Celtic.
Nafisa
