Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has revealed that January signing Matt Polster was in line for his debut for the club against Dundee on Wednesday but that a groin injury looks to have delayed his first appearance.
The Gers secured the capture of the United States international on a free transfer in the summer but the right back is yet to appear in a single minute of football at Ibrox, with one unused substitute appearance to his name in the Premiership.
However, speaking of a double blow involving Polster and Andy Halliday, Gerrard revealed that it was set to be the former’s debut before his setback.
He told the club’s official website: “Andy has a little bit of a tight groin at the minute, and I know he wants to be available tomorrow, but I have got to make a sensible decision for Andy and I think I might have to take the decision out of his hands as Andy would play with three or four injuries.
“I had plans to involve Matt tomorrow, but he has got a bit of a tight groin as well.”
Opinion
What a blow for the USA star, who will know doubt be chomping at the bit to get his first senior appearance for the Gers under his belt sooner rather than later. It cannot be easy joining a new club but being forced to bide your time and it seems as though Wednesday was pencilled in as his chance to prove what he has got to bring after his January arrival. It is an unfortunate blow for the 25-year-old at a time which seemed perfect for him to make his bow, games starting to mount up for Gerrard and his men. It will not always be this busy this season and the vast number of fixtures right now requires rotation, but as the campaign progresses the first choice stars at Ibrox will be given a consistent run in the side. This was Polster’s chance to stake his claim to be named among the starting XI on a regular basis and it has been snatched away from his quite cruelly. It is not the end of the world – there are still plenty of games to play – but it has not done his hopes much good at all.