Rangers captain James Tavernier in contention for Old Firm clash with Celtic

James Tavernier is in contention to make his return to the Rangers squad for Sunday’s Old Firm Scottish Cup showdown with rivals Celtic.

Rangers captain James Tavernier has been absent since February. Picture: SNS

The club captain has been out of action since hobbling out of the 4-3 victory over Royal Antwerp with a knee issue.

Ahead of the fourth round clash at Ibrox, manager Steven Gerrard revealed the 29-year-old will take part in full contact training for the first time on Friday and he’ll likely be brought back into the squad if he comes through the remaining two sessions unscathed.

If not, Scotland youth international Nathan Patterson is favoured to start in his place. The teenager has been at the centre of a war of words between Gerrard and Celtic caretaker John Kennedy after an appeal of the right-back’s six-match ban for breaking lockdown rules, along with four of his Rangers team-mates, meant he was free to play this weekend.

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