Michael Beale has admitted Malik Tillman, Ryan Jack and John Lundstram are major doubts for the Viaplay Cup final against Celtic.
The Rangers boss was without the key trio for the Scottish Premiership triumph over Livingston and revealed it'll be "touch and go" for any involvement at Hampden.
Beale is however hopeful that he will be boosted by training returns for the midfielders as well as Scott Arfield in the runup to the showpiece final for the first trophy of the season.
"They are big doubts (for next week) because they were not available," said Beale when quizzed on Tillman, Jack and Lundstram. "Malik has got a problem with his hamstring, Jacko with his calf and obviously John with his ankle.
"I'm optimistic to think those three plus maybe Scott Arfield will return to training at the backend of the week but it will be touch and go.
"What you saw on Saturday might be what we have and I was delighted with what I got."
The beginning to Beale's return to Rangers has been plagued by injury setbacks - however, it has not derailed an impressive unbeaten run.
It hasn't come without worry for Beale though, having watched key players break down in training and a host of squad members still sidelined for the immediate future.
The Ibrox boss explained: "I've learned since sitting in the hotseat, it's alright being an assistant and guiding from the side.
"I've had to take a few deep breaths when we've lost centre backs and when one or two players have gone down injured this week.
"You take a deep breath, you trust your next group of players the boys that you throw in and hope that they do well in the shirt and want to keep it.
"I thought that was certainly the case, everything I needed to see on Saturday I saw.
"If I look at my board every day and look at who is not available it would give the team that played today a really good game.
"I suppose at some stage I am hoping that will be the case with Tom Lawrence, John Souttar, Filip Helander, Ridvan Yilmaz, Arfield, Steven Davis - all of those guys fit plus the guys you mentioned - we would be in a really, really strong place.
"All we can keep doing is playing the games with the boys we have got, keep playing well, keep progressing."
While Beale could be without a host of important players against Celtic, he has no concerns over throwing Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in for the major occasion so early in their respective Rangers careers.
Quizzed on whether he has any reservations about the pair should they be given the nod to start at Hampden, Beale said: "No. They are two excellent football players, you could see it again against Livingston, I thought they both played ever so well."
