Rangers Receive Fresh Injury Concern Ahead of Aberdeen Semi-Final as Derek McInnes Defends Emmanuel Fernandez

Rangers are preparing for a crucial Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday, but Derek McInnes has revealed a fresh fitness concern ahead of the encounter.

Midfielder Tochi Chukwuani is a doubt for the important showdown after experiencing discomfort in his knee following Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Hearts.

McInnes confirmed that the Danish midfielder is the only new injury concern to emerge from the frustrating result at Tynecastle.

Although Rangers were far from convincing in Edinburgh, they managed to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches. The Ibrox side will now be determined to maintain that sequence and secure a place in the League Cup final.

Chukwuani made a late appearance against Hearts, replacing Dan Neil as Rangers searched for a way to influence the closing stages of the contest.

The midfielder has found opportunities difficult to come by recently, with Neil and Nicolas Raskin generally ahead of him in McInnes’ preferred midfield options.

However, he had shown encouraging signs of improvement, particularly after scoring as a substitute during Rangers’ impressive 4-0 victory over St Johnstone at Ibrox last week.

McInnes provides fresh Chukwuani injury update

Speaking before Saturday’s meeting with Aberdeen, McInnes offered an update on the midfielder’s condition and confirmed that further medical examinations would determine whether he could feature at Hampden.

The Rangers manager played down the severity of the problem but admitted that Chukwuani’s availability remains uncertain.

McInnes explained:

“Tochi [Chukwuani] has got a wee bit of a grumbly knee this morning. We’re going to get him scanned this afternoon just to see how it is. His knee’s dry, but he’s got a wee bit of discomfort. I don’t think it’s anything too serious. Hopefully the scan gives us a wee bit of reassurance on that. Other than him, we’re good to go.”

The comments will offer some encouragement to Rangers supporters, although the club will be keen to receive positive results from the scan.

With a place in the final at stake, McInnes will want as many midfield options available as possible for the Hampden encounter.

Derek McInnes stands by Emmanuel Fernandez after Hearts criticism

Meanwhile, McInnes has also come to the defence of Emmanuel Fernandez following criticism of the defender’s display against Hearts.

Rangers were fortunate to leave Tynecastle with a point after struggling to contain the home side at various stages of the match.

Fernandez was among those criticised for his contribution, with former Rangers striker Kris Boyd suggesting the Nigerian defender had struggled during the encounter.

However, McInnes was quick to remind critics of the centre-back’s previous performances and insisted that the responsibility for Wednesday’s disappointing display should not rest on one individual.

Fernandez has been a regular presence in the Rangers defence since McInnes took charge, although his performances have occasionally attracted scrutiny.

The manager believes the defender deserves greater recognition for the positive contributions he has made, particularly during Rangers’ recent victories.

Responding to questions about Fernandez, McInnes said:

“I only get asked about Fernandez when he has a poor game. Nobody asked me about Fernandez on Saturday (against St Johnstone): he was outstanding on Saturday.

“He looks like he could have played St Johnstone himself at the back. So, I understand when players drop because he’s got such a high ceiling and when he’s good, he’s very good. But that’s the same for a lot of players. Last night wasn’t only Manny Fernandez, last night was a collective and I never get asked about Manny when he does really well and he’s been a big part of our…”

The Rangers boss clearly feels that Fernandez is being judged too heavily on individual mistakes rather than his overall contribution to the team.

His comments also suggest that McInnes is unwilling to single out one defender when the entire team struggled to perform against Hearts.

With Aberdeen standing between Rangers and a place in the Premier Sports Cup final, the Nigerian centre-back will have an opportunity to respond on the pitch.

Meanwhile, Chukwuani’s fitness will remain a key talking point as McInnes finalises his squad for Saturday’s Hampden showdown.