Rangers manager Philippe Clement praised his team for keeping their discipline during a stormy Scottish Cup quarter-final victory over nine-man Hibs.

Clement was distressed to see two of his players limp off during the 2-0 win at Easter Road, with Dujon Sterling suffering a hamstring injury and his replacement Ross McCausland later trudging off with a muscle injury. Neither were hurt in the incidents that led to Hibs being reduced to nine men midway through the second half while already 1-0 down after John Lundstram bundled in the rebound after James Tavernier’s saved penalty. But Clement is concerned about their prospects of being fit for the second leg of Rangers’ last 16 Europa League clash with Benfica on Thursday. The tie is delicately poised at 2-2.

“I am not happy, of course, that Dujon and Ross had to come off," he said. "It is not a good thing. We are going to see in the next couple of days if they are going to be available for Thursday or not. We keep on walking in that road and we need to find solutions."

Rangers manager Philippe Clement applauds the travelling fans at full time.

He name checked four players who he said set the level of fitness he wants at the club. "There are only a few players really ready for what I want, and that is a competitive team who are there every three days with that intensity," he said. "We have a few like Connor (Goldson), John (Souttar), Lunny (John Lundstram), Tav (James Tavernier) and there are a few growing in that way. But I want the total squad to be like that and for that you need more training and I cannot do that at the moment because we have so many games."

Rangers already have several players out, including Oscar Cortes and long-term casualty Danilo. Now Ryan Jack could be set for another spell on the sidelines, which is bad news for both Clement and Scotland manager Steve Clarke, who names his squad for the pre-Euro 2024 friendlies against Northern Ireland and the Netherlands this week. “I cannot say how long yet but he took a knock against Benfica and has a muscle problem now,” said Clement. “I cannot say anything about how long. Of course I wanted him back to give him minutes today but that was not the case so we will see. Thursday and the weeks after I do not know.”

As for Sterling and McCausland, he said: “I am not a doctor. It is a pity sometimes this season. I would like to be a doctor sometimes but we have a really good one who is a really clear in his assessment all the time. But I cannot say now and he cannot say now. We will examine them in the next two days to see what is going on. It is dangerous for me to say it is serious or it is not serious if it is not the truth. I always want to say the truth.”

With reference to Rangers maintaining their discipline while Hibs were losing theirs, the Ibrox manager stressed it was something he always impressed upon his players. “It is really important and it is what I tell them every week,” he said. “I want to stay with eleven, I don’t want reckless tackles, I want them to stay on their feet. It is important to play and finish games with eleven.”

Rangers reaction: Clement lauds key trait but explains unhappiness at injury crisis after Hibs battle as list lengthens