Derek McInnes has two fresh fitness concerns to weigh up ahead of Sunday’s trip to Parkhead, with the Rangers manager confirming that striker Ryan Naderi and one unnamed player are both doubts for the second Old Firm meeting of the season.
Naderi’s issue stems directly from the controversy that dominated the aftermath of Rangers’ 3-0 win over Celtic in the previous derby at Ibrox. The German forward was caught high on the leg by Celtic’s Mika Baur in the 64th minute of that game, an incident referee Nick Walsh penalised against Naderi rather than in his favour, despite replays suggesting Naderi had won the ball first. The striker tried to play on but was withdrawn in the 74th minute, and McInnes has since described his ankle as “a mess.”
That injury has fed directly into this week’s build-up. Rangers have already taken the matter to the SFA, with chief executive Jim Gillespie speaking to head of referee operations Willie Collum about the decision not to review or punish Baur’s challenge. McInnes confirmed Naderi had missed training on Friday but said he was hopeful the striker could take part in Saturday’s session, with a final call likely to go right up to matchday. “Ryan is one of two players who is a wee bit of a doubt for Sunday,” McInnes said, without naming the second player. Full-back Tuur Rommens, who has been out with a groin injury since last month, trained on Friday and will also be assessed before the squad travels through.
McInnes was careful to keep the focus on performance rather than the officiating row, saying there’s a positivity around the group but that another big display will be needed to back it up. He pointed to the “aggression and confidence to play” and energy levels being more important than any specific tactical plan, with Rangers looking to make it six wins in a row and further tighten their grip on the title race.
The timing adds extra weight to the fixture. Rangers head into it with a week’s rest behind them, while Celtic were in Europa League action against Ferencvaros on Thursday night — a game they lost. It’s also Rangers’ last match before an extended international break, giving McInnes added incentive to protect his winning momentum before the squad breaks up.
Whether or not Naderi and his unnamed teammate make it through to Sunday, McInnes has made sure the injury and the surrounding SFA complaint remain part of the conversation heading into Parkhead — deliberate or not, it’s added pressure on officials before a ball is even kicked.
