Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice is expected to be sidelined for at least another month with a knee injury.
Allardice has not played since the opening league match of the season on August 5, when he was forced off with a jarred knee after coming on as a substitute in the defeat to Celtic.
After joining from Caley Thistle in the summer, Allardice played all four games in the Staggies’ Viaplay Cup group section.
Although he will not require an operation, County manager Malky Mackay has confirmed it is likely to be later in September before Allardice is pushing to get back into contention.
Mackay said: “Scott Allardice is rehabilitating from his knee injury and will be a little longer term.
“He’s not going to need an operation, but he is certainly going to be longer-term – at least the next four to six weeks.”
Scott Allardice is among Staggies absentees
Allardice is among a number of absentees at present, although Mackay is hopeful of having Yan Dhanda (bruised hip) and Will Nightingale (thigh) available for the visit of Rangers this weekend.
Mackay added: “I’m hoping we can look and see if Yan Dhanda and Will Nightingale can be around about it on Saturday, while Ben Purrington is maybe another week.
“We have a couple of long-term absences as well. Ben Paton will be ready around December, and Ross Callachan has been a terrific asset to this football club is another one we have lost for a long period of time.
“He will hopefully be ready around the back end of January.
“That apart, we have had some niggles, bruises and knocks, which has meant I have not got too many sitting in the stand.”
Staggies hoping young players can make their case
Mackay is urging any player handed their opportunity to grasp the chance to impress in his side, given the intense competition for places when his squad is at full strength.
He added: “Two of the changes at Airdrie were enforced. Josh Sims and Victor Loturi took knocks, and had to come off the pitch at that point.
“We ended up with Jay Henderson and Dylan Smith on the pitch. All of a sudden, youngsters were getting chances.
“The cross Dylan put in at the end was terrific. Jay had a couple of great crosses as well.
“Both of them are learning, and they are impacting. They are part of the group and they know that – they know they are not going to get a huge amount of game time right away.
“They have got to try and work their way in and around it.
“It’s a learning experience for our younger ones as well.”
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