Aberdeen v Rangers: Lee Hodson back in training ahead of Pittodrie clash
Sunday 9 April 2017 12:26, UK
Lee Hodson is back in training ahead of Rangers' trip to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 2.
The full-back missed the midweek draw against Kilmarnock through illness and was one of three defenders who had to be replaced at half-time against Motherwell last weekend because of injury.
Fellow defenders Lee Wallace (stomach) and Clint Hill (calf) also had to be removed after 45 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Ibrox and are still missing along with Rob Kiernan (calf) and Philippe Senderos (knee).
Long-term casualties Jordan Rossiter (calf) and Niko Kranjcar (knee) remain on the sidelines too.
Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha named his side to play Kilmarnock 36 hours before kick-off during the week but insisted it was not intended to be disrespectful and says he is not "a follower".
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He told Sky Sports News HQ: "I am not a follower. I'm not one guy - this is the line, this is the way everybody is going so I need to follow the line. I am not like that.
"I am not better, I'm not worse than everyone, but I am different and I think you need to accept the differences. When I do something it is because I really plan it a lot, I think it a lot. I always think that doing that I am going to take advantage from it, from one side or from the other.
"You may call it sometimes mind games, other times I don't know, strategy, just a small strategy. This is the way it goes."
Aberdeen striker Jayden Stockley returns from suspension as Derek McInnes' men look to record an 11th straight home league win. Defender Mark Reynolds remains on the sidelines following hernia surgery.
Having collected the Manager of the month award for March, McInnes said: "Although we weren't at our best against Inverness in midweek (1-0 win) we were still the better team.
"We got the win and another clean sheet, so we can move on to the next one with confidence. Winning 10 home games in a row was a fantastic achievement so we told the players not to feel too down about themselves.
"If we can win on Sunday then 15 points clear with six games to go would make it very difficult for Rangers to catch us. But we respect that they have got good players and we respect that we've got work to do and hopefully we can be good enough on the day to have a winning performance."
