Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard, has given an update on left-back Borna Barisic’s chances of being fit for the mid-week visit to Rugby Park as his side take on Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
The Croatian international had to be replaced by Andy Halliday against Hamilton and with five fixtures in a fourteen day period coming up, the gaffer will want his best players all available and Barisic is certainly one of those now.
Speaking to Premier Sports after the match (and reported by The Daily Record), the Rangers manager revealed that the injury may not be as bad as first feared but the mid-week fixture might come to soon;
“I don’t think it’s too much of a concern but I think it definitely makes him a doubt for midweek.”
“Fingers crossed we can get him recovered and ready to go on Wednesday because he’s very important for us.”
“The initial concern was that he might have pulled something, but I don’t think he has.”
With 14 assists in 32 appearances, the £2.2m signing from Osijek has propelled himself into the hearts of both the Gers faithful and Gerrard becoming a key player in the process which, in turn, has earned him a bumper new deal which sees him stay at Ibrox until 2024.
Halliday looks to be in pole position to replace Barisic should he not recover in time to face Kilmarnock with Jon Flanagan apparently out of the picture after a poor start to 2020 covering at right-back for James Tavernier.
With the life-long Gers fan a natural left-footer he is more suited to Rangers game plan of the full-backs providing a lot of the attacking impetus from wide and – although he has been inconsistent in his appearances this season – should get the nod in Barisic’s absence.
Is Borna Barisic a contender for Rangers player of the year?
Yes
No
With both Flanagan and Halliday out of contract at the end of the season, every game is an opportunity to prove they are worth another deal providing cover for the reformed full-back, to think there once a discussion as to who was the best fit for the position now seems laughable with every fan praying that the Croatian passes a fitness test in time to make the starting line-up such has been the turn around in his fortunes.