‘It Could’ve Been A Lot Worse’ – Rangers Boss Gerrard Laments Aribo Injury Blow

The Nigeria international has missed the Gers’ last three matches due to an ankle injury

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has confirmed Joe Aribo will be out of action for four to six weeks due to an ankle sprain.

Aribo’s last outing for the Gers was on August 12 when he scored in their 3-0 win over St. Johnstone and he has missed their three league matches.

Ahead of their Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United at Ibrox Stadium on Saturday, Gerrard rued the absence of the Super Eagles midfielder who was in ‘magnificent form’ even before the start of the 2020-21 season.

Fortunately, the 24-year-old will not be going under the knife to treat his ankle after he visited a specialist.

“Joe has had a setback in terms of his return to training. He’s got a high ankle sprain at the moment and he’ll be missing for four to six weeks,” Gerrard said in a press conference.

“We’re really positive in terms of that being four rather than six, but we’ll have to take it week by week.

“Joe during pre-season and at the start of the season was in magnificent form. He’s a player we rate very highly here so I’m sure he will be missed.

“It’s actually good news for us because when he has had the setback in training there was a situation where he had to go and see a specialist on this ankle problem and there was a chance he might have needed surgery.

“Thankfully, he doesn’t need that and we might be able to get him back in four weeks’ time. So it’s actually a positive situation because it could have been a lot worse. But it’s definitely a blow for us because he is a fantastic player, a major talent, and a major part of how we play.”

After Gerrard’s update on Friday, Aribo took to social media to appreciate the fans for their support and also assured them of his immediate return to action.

“Thanks for all the love and support. I’ll be back and better sooner than you think,” he tweeted.Rangers are yet to lose a game in the Premiership this season and they sit at the top of the table with 16 points after six matches.

source:- goal