Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed Antonio Colak will miss Rangers trip to St Mirren on Saturday because of a minor injury.
The Light Blues are trailing the Scottish Premiership title race by seven points with pressure ramping up on the Ibrox boss. Kemar Roofe, Filip Helander and Ianis Hagi have been among the long term absentees while the injury picked up by Connor Goldson in a Champions League clash with Liverpool last month is being felt badly with 18-year-old Leon King deputising in central defence.
And Van Bronckhorst is delighted that the forthcoming World Cup break will allow for several of his crocked stars to continue their rehabilitations ahead of returning when their season resumes on December 15. But he confirmed top scorer Colak and Fashion Sakala will be unavailable for the meeting of Stephen Robinson's men.
"It's been a busy period for everyone involved in football at the moment," said the Ibrox boss. "You are seeing a lot of teams at the highest level struggling with injuries and the packed schedule ahead of the World Cup. We want to have a bigger squad to select from when we return after the break with players from injury returning.
"Ryan Jack will be involved in the squad tomorrow, it should also be beneficial for him to get minutes with Scotland. Fashion Jr is unavailable with a minor muscle injury. Colak has a minor injury and will miss tomorrow, he will be fine for us coming back from the break."
Van Bronckhorst knows the importance of picking up three points against the Buddies and he's challenged his men to start being more clinical after they managed to grind out a 1-0 win over Hearts last time out despite having 17 shots at goal.
He added: "It's very important to get the win tomorrow ahead of the break. We need to get the three points. There were positives, especially at the start of the second-half against Hearts. We scored a great goal and created some great chances after this, it's important we are more clinical.
"It's very important for us to have support from midfield in the box, we want everyone in the squad to be dangerous in front of goal. Against a low block and a team that plays very direct with fast dangerous strikers, we have to be fully focused throughout the 90 minutes to get a positive result."
The contract situation surrounding Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos was one that Van Bronckhorst had to address with the pair entering the final six months of their current deals. And he believes the "uncertainty" surrounding the duo will stay as they continue talks with the Light Blues board over their futures.
"It's not about the break," insisted Van Bronckhorst. "We can talk now, we have been talking with them previously so it's not about the break, it's just making sure as you said, the uncertainty will stay if players don't sign a new contract. That's the position you will have as a club if you have so many players out of contract at the end of the season so that uncertainty will stay, I think."
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