Clement gushes over 2 Ibrox prodigies labelled the 'future of Rangers' after being thrust into Old Trafford spotlight

Philippe Clement could offer no clear timescales over when THREE of his Rangers players might return to the fold or how long they could be sidelined for after being forced off during tonight’s 2-1 Europa League defeat against Manchester United.

Midfielder Connor Barron and centre-back Leon Balogun were both withdrawn at half-time after picking up respective knocks towards the end of the first-half. And in a further blow to the Ibrox side, winger Vaclav Cerny limped off after 58 minutes.

Clement has been operating without several key figures for a number of weeks. Addressing the club’s mounting injury crisis, the Belgian said: “Yeah, but what can I do if players get tackled and they get injured? So yeah, you cannot do much about it, it’s about working hard with the medical staff to get them back and to see the next days, to make a good assessment towards the weekend or the weeks after.

“Those are things I don’t have any control over, so we need to work really hard with the medical department to get the players back and I need to be focused on the players who are here and integrate also new players or integrate players in different positions and to prepare them well, that they know what to do in those positions. That’s my part of the job.”

Despite the crushing nature of the last-gasp 2-1 defeat, Clement expressed pride at the performances of youngsters Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis who were thrust into the spotlight as a result of the injury blows.

“It’s huge, huge experience for them,” he admitted. “They’re only 18 years old, they never played at the highest level to come on this pitch and also to be brave. So yeah, a lot of congratulations towards them but also towards the staff who prepared them the last weeks, months, years in the club.

“And also to the senior players who create a very good environment for the young guys to come on the pitch, that they are not afraid, that they feel they are helped, secured, coached by the others and that they can express their qualities.

“So it’s a massive experience for them,. They’re both, for me, very talented players for the future of Rangers. They’re not ready yet to be starting XI all the time, that’s also clear, but they have the right mentality and they’re going to make a good evolution the next years that they will become starting XI players for the future I think.”