Tuesday 4 April 2017 14:25, UK
Rangers captain Lee Wallace will miss three to four weeks following surgery on an abdominal problem.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha confirmed the bad news on Tuesday speaking ahead of the midweek trip to Kilmarnock.
The defensive injury crisis is a major blow to the club's aspirations of halting Celtic's treble push ahead of this month's William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final.
But Caixinha is remaining optimistic and said: "Lee Wallace should be finishing his surgery right now so maybe for the next three to four weeks he will be out of the team.
"His problem is in the stomach area but he can still celebrate with us at the end of the season, which means I hope to have him back for further on than the semi-final."
Lee Hodson has also been struggling with a fever while Clint Hill picked up a hamstring problem.
Jon Toral dropped back into a three-man defence with fellow midfielder Andy Halliday and Rob Kiernan.
Caixinha also surprised reporters by taking the unusual step of naming his starting line-up to face Killie 36 hours before kick-off.
Gers will start with Wes Foderingham in goal and a back four of James Tavernier, 20-year-old former Raith defender Bates, Danny Wilson and Beerman - an 18-year-old Malta international signed from Manchester City.
Sitting in front of that inexperienced back-line will be Halliday and Jason Holt, while striker Joe Garner will be supported by midfield attackers Barrie McKay, Emerson Hyndman and Martyn Waghorn.
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