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Rangers boss Steven Gerrard rules Connor Goldson out of Scottish Cup match against Cowdenbeath

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Steven Gerrard says Connor Goldson and Graham Dorrans are both still unavailable but are edging closer to returning from injury

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has ruled Connor Goldson out of Wednesday's trip to Cowdenbeath but says the central defender is "not too far away" from a return.

Goldson sustained a series of knocks in the build-up to the winter break and has not played since the Old Firm victory over Celtic on December 29.

Gerrard says Goldson is making progress in his recovery but confirmed the midweek trip to Central Park has come too soon for the former Brighton defender.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard
Image: Gerrard says Goldson is close to a return from injury

"He's not available," said Gerrard. "The medical department haven't given me an exact day but he's not too far away.

"But if I give you a game [for his return] I would be guessing."

Gerrard revealed Graham Dorrans has returned to full training with the rest of the squad and is now working back to full fitness after a prolonged period on the sidelines.

"Graham is training today for the first time with the team which is great for us," said Gerrard. "We'll be patient with him because he's missed a lot of football and been out a long time.

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"He's been to every one of our games, he's followed the team and been very interested - he's desperate to get back, which is also good to see from a manager's point of view.

Ryan Jack celebrates with Ross McCrorie (left) after he gives Rangers the lead at Livingston
Image: Rangers travel to face Cowdenbeath on Wednesday night

"The challenge for him now is to get himself fit and match sharp, and come in ready to push the lads that are in the starting XI."

Gerrard expects United States international Matt Polster to complete his move to Rangers within the next 24 hours after impressing on trial.

"That could be announced at any time," he said. "He's travelled to France to get the work permit application complete.

"That will be announced maybe today, maybe tomorrow. We're confident that one will happen but besides that there is nothing really else to say."

Matt Polster
Image: United States international Matt Polster is set to join Rangers

Rangers will face Kilmarnock in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup if they beat Cowdenbeath in their rescheduled fourth-round tie but Gerrard is taking nothing for granted.

"We want to compete for this cup," he said. "If we want the so called glamorous ties further down the line at Hampden we have to go to places like Cowdenbeath and deliver.

"We're very respectful of them and their manager. I'm sure he's going to have a game plan that will make it complicated for us.

"It would be a schoolboy error to focus on the next round before we've faced them."

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