Wallace’s inlinefor derbycall
From Back Page captain hasn’t played since mid-September but Murty has revealed the full-back is close to fitness ahead of tomorrow’s home game with Motherwell and the Old Firm clash at Celtic Park on Saturday.
Murty said: “Hopefully it will be soon. He’s another one we are assessing day by day. His numbers are looking good and we just need to make sure he will be ready to go.”
Asked if he’d be ready at least for the Celtic game, Murty added: “Possibly. But like I did with Bruno Alves against Kilmarnock, we have to make sure we have a fully-fit squad and we don’t injure the players. That they are ready to go.”
With Wallace set to rejoin the group, Halliday and O’Halloran are also potential returnees in January. Director of football Mark Allen has already informed the Perth club Rangers want the winger back when his loan deal expires on Sunday.
And midfielder Halliday is also still on the agenda. He moved to Gabala on a season-long loan in the summer after being axed by ex-boss Pedro Caixinha.
Halliday has barely featured in Azerbaijan but Gabala insist he is a key member of their squad and want him to see out his deal until May.
But Murty has revealed Allen is investigating the possibility of an early recall.
He said: “All options are being explored with those guys. In certain areas we do lack experience and that showed at times against Kilmarnock. Mark is on top of that at the moment.
“But there are areas of the team where we need some more experience.”
Murty has also given a progress report on striker Kenny Miller, sidelined with a serious hamstring tear.
He said: “It’s a significant injury and we don’t want to put a specific date on it in case he misses it or comes back too early.
“We just know that Kenny is going to be out for a significant time.”