Rangers will face Motherwell on Sunday without the services of John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe, adding to the growing list of absentees that has plagued the team in recent weeks. Manager Philippe Clement, however, remains uncertain about the return timelines for the sidelined players.
The Belgian boss has been grappling with the absence of key stars such as Danilo, Nicolas Raskin, Ryan Jack, Steven Davis, and Tom Lawrence in recent matches. The latest blow came when midfielder Lundstram suffered an injury during Wednesday’s game against St Johnstone after a robust challenge from Diallang Jaiyesimi.
Despite the challenges of managing a depleted squad, Clement’s side has impressively maintained a 16-game unbeaten run across all competitions and secured the Viaplay Cup against Aberdeen last weekend. With only a two-point gap behind Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic and a crucial game in hand scheduled for next month against their city rivals, Clement acknowledges the suboptimal situation of having fewer options to select a team from.
In a pre-match statement ahead of the Motherwell clash, Clement expressed, “Lundstram and Roofe are both not available for Sunday. To say how long is difficult for the moment, still waiting on results of scans. There are not a lot of options, we have to look at what is best for the team. Players playing out of position and giving everything. Our story is clear in every position and they know what to do with and without the ball in different positions. The players are coping well with a heavy schedule and preparing well for every match. It is crucial we keep the mentality strong, it stays crucial. We need to be consistent in the marathon of a league. We push every time for three points. It’s a big period, four games and a lot of games to win or to lose. Then we have a training camp, and I’m looking forward to training hard with the team and sitting down and talking with the team.”
Reflecting on the loss of Roofe and Lundstram, Clement revealed the club is actively seeking solutions to mitigate the striker’s recurring injuries. He emphasized, “It is most disappointing for Kemar (Roofe) as he is doing everything possible to avoid injuries. We are looking closely into the details to find solutions for him. Injured players are always in our meetings; I want them involved and to see what we are doing well and what we need to improve on. It is important they remain part of our story. Everyone has the same importance; we are one family who win or lose together.”