Clement Confirms Injury Blow For Rangers As Captain Tavernier Misses Old Firm Derby Against Celtic

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James Tavernier, the captain of Rangers, will miss the upcoming Old Firm derby against Celtic due to an injury. The injury, sustained during a 2-2 draw with Motherwell, will keep him out for several weeks. This absence presents a defensive challenge for manager Philippe Clement, as John Souttar and Neraysho Kasanwirjo are also sidelined with injuries.

Rangers are currently trailing Celtic by 14 points in the Scottish Premiership. A loss on Thursday could significantly impact their title aspirations this season. Despite these challenges, Clement remains optimistic about Leon Balogun's potential return from injury in time for the match at Ibrox.

Clement acknowledged the setbacks his team has faced recently. "James has picked up an injury," he stated. "We took a scan and there is clear damage, and he will be out for a few weeks." He added that they have experienced several such blows over recent weeks and months.

The manager is seeking a strong response from his players after they were booed off at half-time during their last match against Motherwell. However, Clement faces a personal challenge as he has yet to secure a victory against Celtic in six attempts across all competitions while managing Rangers.

The only manager with a longer winless streak in Old Firm derbies was William Wilton, who managed Rangers from 1890 to 1893 without defeating Celtic in his first eight attempts. In recent history, Rangers have only won once in their last 14 encounters with Celtic across all competitions.

This solitary victory came under Michael Beale in May 2023 when Rangers secured a 3-0 league win. Reflecting on recent performances, Clement noted that goals conceded were not due to clear mistakes or structural issues but rather unfortunate circumstances.

Focus on Defensive Resilience

"The last two games we lost goals a little bit out of nothing," Clement explained. "Not with really clear mistakes or being out of structure, totally not." He emphasised that such occurrences can happen in football but should not occur consecutively.

As Rangers prepare for the crucial derby against Celtic, they aim to overcome these challenges and improve their standing in the league. The team's resilience and ability to adapt will be key factors as they strive to close the gap on their rivals.