Rangers face a goal threat question after Shankland hamstring

Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland is set to miss a spell after suffering a “significant” hamstring injury in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Motherwell. It happened early: within five minutes, Shankland grabbed his hamstring and signalled to the bench.

Scan scheduled for Monday

Speaking to BBC Scotland after the game, manager Derek McInnes said it “looks quite significant” and suggested it is similar to the hamstring issue he had at Hearts last January. BBC Sport reports the club will do the scan on Monday to confirm the timeline, rather than guessing.

Chermiti ruled out too

The timing is especially tough for Rangers because Youssef Chermiti is expected to be out for a long period after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Hibernian last month. That leaves the side without two of its main attacking options, and they’ll now need someone to step up.

Ryan Naderi scored the only goal against Motherwell, turning a mistake from goalkeeper Alex Paulsen into an empty-net finish. BBC Sport also breaks down the numbers: Naderi has three goals in eight appearances this season, while Shankland has four in 10. With Shankland sidelined, the comparison in output will quickly become the measuring stick.

Kevin Kelsy, brought in from MLS side Portland Timbers, is another name in the mix. BBC Sport notes he had a big chance on his debut after Jake Girdwood-Reich’s error but failed to hit the target from 10 yards. The same report points to his recent record—13 goals in his last 46 matches—as the reason Rangers have brought him in. Former players Andy Halliday and Ian McCall both raised doubts in Sportsound about Rangers’ finishing without Shankland, while praising the team’s ability to create clear-cut chances in the Motherwell game.