Rangers have been dealt a major blow after Kyle Bartley was ruled out of action for up to six weeks.
Bartley, 20, was forced out of last month's 2-0 win at Inverness - his first match of his second spell at the Scottish champions - with what has now been diagnosed as a hernia problem.
The centre-half, who is on loan from Arsenal, also missed part of his first loan spell last season with a knee injury and has been told he faces another spell on the sidelines, with surgery a possibility.
Rangers director of football Gordon Smith told the Daily Record: "Kyle has a hernia problem and we expect him to be out of action for between five and six weeks, although I'm not sure at this stage if surgery will be required.
"Either way, it's obviously a big blow for the boy and the club.''
Gers' boss Ally McCoist is slightly more optimistic about the centre-half's potential recovery time, telling the club's official website: "It's a big disappointment for Kyle himself that he's out for a bit longer but I had a good chat with him last night after his operation and he's upbeat.
"He was obviously in a little bit of discomfort and a little bit of pain but he still managed to ask me if there was any possibility we could put the Celtic game back. I thought that was wonderful and it just sums big Kyle up. He doesn't want to miss any training or any games. I told him I'd ask but I didn't hold much hope it would happen for him.
"With the attitude he has and what he gives us, being without him is a big miss for ourselves but we won't rush him back. When you've someone who is as eager to be part of the team as his is, in many cases that's half the battle.
"I'd hope we'd have him back in around four weeks or so but we'll take as long as he needs to make sure he is fit again.''
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