Rangers FC have been dealt with a massive injury blow as striker Kemar Roofe has been ruled out for a few weeks with a knee injury.
The forward picked up the knock during the Old Firm Derby and he’s now expected to be out for three weeks which means the 29-year-old will only be available for the 2nd leg of the RB Leipzig match.
The manager informed the press: “We also had a problem with Kemar Roofe after the game. The next day he felt his knee. For him it is the same, he will be out for some weeks and hopefully also back for me to pick around the Leipzig home game.”
The 29-year-old was filling in for the injured Alfredo Morelos and now that Roofe has also been ruled out, the manager will have to find inspiration from somewhere else.
Who can replace Kemar Roofe in the Rangers XI?
Selecting a front-three will now be a major headache for GvB but according to Barry Ferguson, two players can step up and fill the void of Kemar Roofe.
“It’s a massive blow,” Ferguson said on GO Radio(as quoted).
“I don’t care what anybody says. It was a massive blow losing Morelos and I wasn’t too concerned with Kemar Roofe coming in because he’s a player that I rate highly.
“My only concern was his lack of football, but you have seen him getting better and better as he got more games. Scoring goals, leading the line well but now he’s going to be out for a couple of weeks.
Kemar Roofe = Rangers hat-trick hero at the weekend 🎩⚽️⚽️⚽️#UEL pic.twitter.com/lt7hfymiyz
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 11, 2022
“He could be struggling for the RB Leipzig home game, so it is a concern. It’s an opportunity for somebody and the only real option is (Fashion) Sakala.
“But I think Ryan Kent can play that role through the middle.”
Kent is a winger by trade who’s scored two and assisted seven league goals this season while Sakala has netted seven goals in 26 Premiership matches so far.
Sakala is a natural centre-forward so Rangers FC is expected to use him up front in the league matches but the major problem will arise when the Gers move into Europe.
Facing a team like RB Leipzig, that in the UEL semi-final, without players like Morelos, Ramsey and now Kemar Roofe is a catastrophe waiting to happen so the best thing Rangers can do is not crash out in the 1st leg itself. The Scottish side will have to somehow stay in the tie until the 2nd leg since in that match both Kemar Roofe and Aaron Ramsey should be able to return to the starting line up.
