Tuesday 19 December 2017 13:03, UK
Rangers striker Kenny Miller faces a “significant amount of time out” after suffering a ruptured hamstring against Hibernian.
The 37-year-old had to be replaced 15 minutes into his side's 2-1 win at Easter Road last Wednesday after going down clutching his hamstring.
Rangers had hoped that Miller, who had been an ever-present since the departure of Pedro Caixinha in October, would make a swift recovery, but interim boss Graeme Murty said further scans showed the full extent of the problem.
"Kenny's is going to be more significant than we thought. Unfortunately it looks as though he has a rupture of his hamstring, so he is going to have a significant amount of time out," Murty told the club's official website.
"We were hopeful given the way he presented, and given the fact his range was okay, but once we've scanned it, we have seen there is significant damage in there, so we have to be more conservative in our approach with him.
"That's a painful one for him and a sore one for the group as he is an integral part of everything that we do around the place. If anyone knows Kenny, they know the standards that he drives. So we are going to miss him."
Murty, who said Carlos Pena and Fabio Cardoso are available for his side's trip to Kilmarnock this weekend, also revealed that captain Lee Wallace is edging towards a first-team return after being out since September with a groin injury.
"Lee is getting closer, but I think he is going to need minutes. It's encouraging to see the signs and encouraging to see the speed and the tempo he has been able to play at," Murty said.
"So having Lee back strengthens us not just in terms of numbers, but also in terms of the kind of character he is. He is the club captain, and having him involved is obviously something we want to get done as soon as he can."
Jordan Rossiter, who has endured an injury-hit spell since joining Rangers in 2016, last played in the 3-1 win over Ross County in August, but Murty said he has had further treatment.
Murty added: "We are obviously going to miss Graham [Dorrans] after his operation, while Jordan has had an injection which will hopefully lead him to go on further than he is currently.
"Jak Alnwick has also had an injection in his ankle as he has had a problem for a small amount of time. We are hoping this injection could clear it up, but we are going to have to give him a rest for a period, but hopefully that's not too long."
