Predicted Rangers team vs Dundee: Critical injury situation forces Clement to get 'creative' amid fresh blow

Rangers have away day Scottish Premiership woes to rectify and a growing injury list to contend with when they make they trip north to face Dundee at Dens Park on Thursday night.

Philippe Clement’s side have lacked consistent on the domestic front this season and find themselves off the pace at the top of the table after dropping points on their last three outings on their travels.

Dundee are aiming to distance themselves from the relegation battle and stake a claim for a top-six finish this term, with Tony Docherty’s men currently in eighth place following an improved run of form.

Clement is still without goalkeeper Jack Butland, captain James Tavernier, John Souttar, Leon Balogun, Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Tom Lawrence for the Dundee clash, while Dujon Sterling is a still major doubt after sustaining a knock against Hibs at the weekend. Of those absentees, centre-half Balogun is expected to return “in the short-term”.

Speaking in his pre-match media conference about the club’s ongoing injury crisis, the Belgian said: “We got a really good physio from Aberdeen with Kevin (Bain), which we made changes in the performance department. So there are really good steps made in that way, so we cannot compare with the situation that was last season.

“It’s about finding solutions and that’s what we’ve been doing in the last couple of weeks. For example, putting Ridvan Yilmaz at right full-back and him doing a really good job there.

“So we need to be creative, to have the good level with the defence and not to concede the goals that we conceded against Hibs on the two set pieces. I need to make choices around that, also towards this game, because it’s also one of the strengths of Dundee.”

Predicted Rangers XI: Kelly; Yilmaz, King, Propper, Jefte; Barron, Diomande; Cerny, Bajrami, Hagi, Igamane.

Subs: Munn (GK), Cortes, Dessers, Matondo, Nsiala, Dowell, Raskin, McCausland, Danilo.