Morelos due back next week

ALFREDO MORELOS will be absent from this afternoon’s Premiership kick-off against Livingston and looks set to miss Tuesday’s Champions League qualifier in Malmo. The striker was given time off after being on duty with Colombia at the Copa America. But a frustrated Steven Gerrard last week admitted he did not know when the 25-yearold would be back in Glasgow. Morelos (left, with Gerrard) is now having to complete a period of selfisolation but Gerrard has refused to put an exact date on his return. He did confirm that the forward, who has been linked with a move to Porto, would be back in training next week. The Ibrox boss also expects Ryan Jack to be given the go-ahead to resume full training in ten days after a period with injury that saw the Scotland midfielder miss Euro 2020.

Gerrard said: ‘Alfredo, once he has followed government guidelines, will join the group some time next week. ‘Ryan has one more appointment to get the full green light to go into aerial challenges and full-throttle football. That will be like a new signing for us in ten days.’ As Rangers kick off the defence of their first title in a decade, Gerrard insisted his players will relish the demands about to be placed on them. The Rangers boss told Sky Sports: ‘It’s a really exciting time. No one is talking about pressure. They’re talking about the excitement and looking forward to the challenges ahead. ‘We’ve got important domestic games and two massive Champions League qualifiers. We want to embrace it with excitement rather than fear.’