Bruno Alves looks set to miss the Old Firm derby clash with Celtic on Saturday with an injury, according to an insider.
EstConsultancy, which is a reliable source of news for Rangers, tweeted the news that 19-year-old Ross McCrorie was set to start the crunch game.
https://twitter.com/EstConsultancy/status/911147007594594304
Asked whether that meant Alves was injured, EstConsultnacy replied, “Sadly, yeah.”
https://twitter.com/EstConsultancy/status/911148036327395328
Alves limped out of the League Cup quarter final against Partick on Tuesday and manager Pedro Caixinha confirmed that he was a doubt in his press conference yesterday.
McCrorie came on for his Rangers debut as a replacement for Alves on Tuesday and won plaudits for his mature display as his side went on to secure a 3-1 win in extra time.
OPINION
This is the news that all Rangers fans were dreading. Alves is one of Pedro Caixinha’s key summer signings and the veteran would have provided strength and a cool head for a backline that’s expected to be under the cosh in the game on Saturday. Ross McCrorie replaced Alves in the midweek cup game and put in a performance beyond his years, but an Old Firm clash is something else entirely. Caixinha was quick to praise young McCrorie after the game, saying if he had to play him against Celtic he’d have no problem. That could have been a way of building McCrorie up in the knowledge that Alves probably wasn’t going to make it. What a chance to make a name for yourself though. If McCrorie can come in and put in a shift on Saturday, and if Rangers manage to keep Celtic at bay and get something out of the game, McCrorie will be afforded instant hero status at the Ibrox.