Oliver Birch 
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Steven Gerrard has issued an injury update that could prove to be beneficial for Celtic ahead of this weekend’s Glasgow Derby clash.
According to BBC Sport, Gerrard revealed three of his key men are injury doubts for Thursday’s Europa League tie with Bayer Leverkusen following Sunday’s win, including James Tavernier.
[Jermain] Defoe is definitely out. There’s a chance for [Ryan] Jack and Tav.
Jacko is with us – he got off the bus last night and had an issue with his knee. Tav tried to train on Saturday on an injury that he came off the pitch with and he made it worse. So he is probably a bigger doubt than Jacko.
The negatives are in the last 24 hours – we have lost Defoe, Tavernier, Jack.
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With three of Rangers’ key men doubts for their Europa League outing on Thursday, Gerrard faces a potential selection headache heading into this week.
If he plays Tavernier or Jack on Thursday while they’re not fully fit, it might be difficult for them to recover and be 100 per cent at Ibrox on Sunday.
And while Celtic are unlikely to be too bothered whether they’re fit or not, their potential absences could work in the Hoops’ favour, as the number of games they have played this season shows how important they are for Gerrard (Transfermarkt).
Furthermore, Neil Lennon appears to have almost a fully fit squad to choose from, with Mikey Johnston the only long-term absentee.
Plus, the Hoops also have a full week to prepare for the clash, which is perhaps one of the few positives to take from the loss to FC Copenhagen, while Rangers’ busy schedule continues.
Celtic must now use this week to their advantage to ensure they are fully focused and prepared for Sunday’s meeting.
