'Huge blow' - Andy Walker claims Rangers duo could struggle to bounce back from major setback

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard. (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Both players have been ordered to self-isolate for 14 days and are likely to face disciplinary action from the club after they attended a private gathering with people from outside of their household on Sunday evening.

Neither player had featured in Steven Gerrard’s match day squad for the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock earlier that day, and with the manager giving his side time off on Monday, it is understood that they did not come into contact with any other teammates either.

But while Walker has argued the lack of direct interaction does make the case less severe than that of Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli – who broke protocols with a trip abroad earlier this season – he has also suggested that the pair could find it hard to bounce back from the incident.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Scottish Football podcast, the pundit said: “It seems as if they haven’t put their teammates in any danger.

"I think there’s a big difference with, for example, Bolingoli who played in a travelled abroad, came back, played in a game alongside teammates without a quarantine, played against opponents and amongst officials. He got a five-game ban.

"I don’t know what these players will get, but clearly any club has to really come down hard on any individual who behaves in this manner.

"I think that they’re bit-part players. They’re squad players, reserve players if you like. I mean, Jordan Jones came in against Motherwell and I thought he played really well. I thought he might have had a new look and a new focus about him. I thought he might have wanted to really contribute. You felt as though he was getting his head in the right place and he was going to be a player who could come in for [Brandon] Barker or [Ianis] Hagi or [Ryan] Kent and play his part from time to time, but this has set him back enormously.

"I don’t know if he’ll be able to come back in all honesty, and Edmundson is the same. He came in at Motherwell as a sub, scored an own goal, but the fact was that he was an option for Steven Gerrard to go to – he’s not now. I think in this day and age, when you need all of your players to contribute, it’s a huge blow for Rangers.”

As Walker points out, both Edmundson and Jones have been on the periphery of the first team picture at Ibrox this season.

The former has registered just 14 minutes of Scottish Premiership action, and has made just one other appearance across all competitions – starting in the Europa League qualifier against Lincoln Red Imps back in September.

Of the two, Jones has had a greater role up to this point, but has been limited to just three league outings, with his most recent start coming against Ross County at the beginning of October.