Liverpool-owned Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias did not feature for Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox club Glasgow Rangers on Thursday.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard
Kent, who joined Rangers on loan from Liverpool in the summer transfer window, was injured for the Europa League match against Vienna in Austria on Thursday evening, while Candeias was suspended.
The Ibrox club lost the match 1-0 and have failed to progress to the knockout rounds of the Europa League.
Rangers manager Gerrard has admitted that the Gers missed 22-year-old Kent and 30-year-old Candeias.
Gerrard told Rangers’ official website: “We have certainly been tested. I think as a group we haven’t helped ourselves in certain situations with suspensions and availability, and obviously injuries a bit at important times, i.e. Ryan Kent at the weekend. To not have Candeias and Kent available, it affects the group.”
Vital players
Gerrard’s aforementioned comments highlight just important Kent and Candeias are to Rangers, and there is no doubt that the Gers would have fared better against Rapid Vienna had they been available.
Rangers, though, have everything to play for in the Scottish Premiership, as the Gers are very much in the race for the league title the season and will give their bitter Old Firm rivals Celic a run for their money.
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