RANGERS midfielder John Lundstram is in contention to make his return from injury in the Old Firm game against Celtic at Parkhead tomorrow after taking part in training at Auchenhowie today.
Lundstram, who has been one of manager Philippe Clement’s most consistent performers in recent weeks, has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in the cinch Premiership match against St Johnstone nine days ago.
However, the Englishman, who had looked set to be out until after the winter break next month, and his team mate Connor Goldson both came through a final session under the watchful eye of Clement.
The Belgian, who will be in the dugout in a Glasgow derby for the first time today, refused to rule out the former Sheffield United man being named in his starting line-up for the encounter with the league leaders and defending Scottish champions.
It will be a huge boost to the Ibrox club, who are five points behind their city rivals in the Premiership table with two games in hand, if Lundstram can play against Brendan Rodgers’ side.
However, it looks unlikely that left back Borna Barisic and centre half Ben Davies, who were both absent from the Rangers squad during the league victory over Motherwell at Fir Park on Christmas Eve, will feature as neither man was involved this morning.
Clement will assess how Goldson, who limped off with a groin strain towards the end of the Motherwell win, is feeling along with the Rangers backroom staff in the build-up to the Celtic game.
“He trained so we will assess this afternoon and tomorrow what to do with that,” he said. “He did train. We will see tomorrow and it is the same with all the squad. It is normal.
“We are the team who has played most games these last couple of weeks. I did some things in training, not too much, and I will make my decisions tomorrow after watching back the training and after speaking with the doc and the medical staff.
“Some trained, but it is not sure yet if they will have a reaction or not. That is why I don’t want to say too fast because otherwise people think that I play games. I don’t like to play games and to say that somebody is in and then this afternoon he feels a reaction from the training.
“We are not going to make a stupid risk and lose players for the rest of the season. It is better to make this assessment tomorrow and then it is clear.”
