Lawrence Shankland grasped his hamstring barely five minutes into Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Motherwell, and the Rangers captain immediately signaled to the bench that he was done. It looked brutal at the time, and manager Derek McInnes didn’t mince words after the game. “It looks quite significant,” he told BBC Scotland, and honestly, Rangers fans should be absolutely sweating after hearing that.
The Devastating Double Whammy Rangers Didn’t Need
This isn’t just a regular knock; it’s a gut punch. McInnes thinks it’s a similar injury Shankland had at Hearts last January. We’ll get the full scoop after Monday’s scan, but right now, it feels like a massive blow because Shankland was absolutely flying. He’d bagged three goals in the previous two games, delivering decisive contributions in wins at Aberdeen and Falkirk. Talk about finding your form only to get sidelined. That’s rough.
And here’s the kicker: Shankland’s injury means Rangers are now without their two leading strikers. Fellow frontman Youssef Chermiti is already facing a lengthy layoff after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Hibernian last month. So yeah, “significant” feels like an understatement when your top two goal threats are both out. Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday summed it up on Sportsound, saying, “If Lawrence Shankland was on the pitch throughout, he’d be walking away with a couple of goals.” Rangers got the win against Motherwell, but they were definitely “toothless at the top end of the pitch given the chances they created.”
Who’s Going to Step Up and Score for Rangers?
So, with Shankland and Chermiti sidelined, who’s going to find the back of the net? Ryan Naderi scored the only goal against Motherwell, but let’s be real, it was a gift, capitalizing on a shocking blunder from keeper Alex Paulsen. Naderi is a willing worker, sure, but can he consistently deliver the kind of numbers Shankland has put up in the Scottish Premiership? Last season, Naderi scored three goals in 11 games after joining in January, with two of those coming in an 8-0 Scottish Cup blowout against Queen’s Park. This season, he has three in eight appearances, one fewer than Shankland’s four in 10. His average of a goal every 189 minutes pales in comparison to Shankland’s 146 minutes.
Kevin Kelsy is also in the mix, arriving from MLS side Portland Timbers. The Venezuelan had a golden opportunity to announce himself on his debut. Then there’s Bojan Miovski, whose stats actually compare favorably to Shankland, averaging a goal every 148 minutes. The problem? The former Aberdeen favorite has struggled to get a consistent run in the side. McInnes called Shankland’s injury “a negative” after the win, and you can see why. Rangers have strung together three straight victories, but without their main men, the question is how long can they keep this momentum going? This team needs someone to step up, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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