Derek McInnes issues one fresh injury concern ahead of League Cup semi final as under-fire Rangers star defended by boss

Rangers head to Hampden on Saturday for a League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, and Derek McInnes has used his pre-match press conference to address one new injury worry and to back a player who has been getting a lot of stick.

The concern is midfielder Tochi Chukwuani, who woke up with knee discomfort after Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle. The Dane was due to have a scan on Thursday afternoon. McInnes played it down, describing the problem as a minor, grumbly knock, and the early signs are that the scan is only a precaution. Even so, Chukwuani is a doubt for the weekend, and Rangers will be anxious for good news with a place in the final at stake.

The bigger talking point was defender Emmanuel Fernandez, who came in for heavy criticism after some high-profile errors against Hearts. Pundit Kris Boyd was among those who felt the Nigeria international struggled. McInnes was quick to defend him. He pointed out that Fernandez was outstanding against St Johnstone only days earlier, and that he gets asked about the 25-year-old only when things go wrong. In McInnes’s view, the Hearts result was a collective failing and not one player’s fault. Fernandez has started every game this season, and Rangers have kept more clean sheets than anyone in the league.

Rangers go into the game as favourites, with Aberdeen having lost three of their last four league matches. McInnes refused to treat that as a guarantee, though. He pointed to the experience of Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson and said his own team will need a full 90 minutes. Having reached semi-finals with St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, he knows how dangerous an underdog can be. The winner will face either Hearts or Hibs in December’s final.