Rangers icon Ally McCoist has admitted that he is “worried” ahead of tonight’s Europa League playoff clash after the Gers were hit with a number of positive Covid tests – but insists Gary McAllister is “more than capable” of leading the Gers in Armenia.
Steven Gerrard and a host of first-team players have stayed behind in Scotland as the Gers flew out to Armenia yesterday as the Light Blues squad is supplemented by several of the B team squad.
McCoist confessed that Rangers were far from their best last week in the first leg at Ibrox, with the Gers coming out 1-0 winners, as the Gers go into the game with a “seriously weakened squad.”
“I’m worried,” McCoist said [TalkSPORT]
“With the greatest respect to Steven, I am concerned he is not there, but if Steven was playing I’d be more concerned.
I think Gary McAllister will be more than capable of handling the team situation.
“But the two goalkeepers are out by all accounts, McGregor and McLaughlin.
“[Ryan] Kent is out, [James] Tavernier is out, so there’s a few boys who have been starting who are out.
“We have also got a couple of suspensions. It has seriously weakened the squad.
“Having said that, I was at the first leg and although we didn’t play anything like how we can play – Lundstram got sent off and we won the first leg 1-0 – without tempting fate I didn’t think they were fantastic.”
With an Old Firm clash against bitter rivals Celtic on Sunday, the Covid issues couldn’t have come at a worse time for Rangers as they go into the first meeting between the two this term.
Some of those absent tonight could still return before Celtic travel across Glasgow but Rangers’ Europa League clash tonight could give some fringe players a chance to stake a serious claim for a starting place.
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