Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has hinted that he could be ready to throw Jamie Murphy back into the first-team fold.

Murphy has been out of action for almost a year with a cruciate knee injury.

Gerrard previously told how he would be willing to allow Murphy to leave on loan.

But after Jordan Jones suffered an injury from the Old Firm game earlier this month and Ryan Kent pulled up on Saturday, Gerrard could be forced to rush Murphy back.

He told Rangers TV: “We suffered an injury to Jordan Jones and suffered an injury to Ryan Kent, so Brandon [Barker] came on and made a contribution, which should do his confidence the world of good.

“It also might make us push Jamie Murphy forward a bit quicker to give us another option.

“We will be without Jordan Jones for probably another three to four weeks and it looks like Ryan is going to be a couple of weeks as well, so we might have to push Jamie a bit quicker.

“I think he is ready to be part of the 18, but I’m not sure he will be ready to go in and start games in succession.

“He is certainly training very well and I think in the last week to 10 days you can see some of his strength coming back.

“So he is certainly ready to contribute, but I will have to manage his minutes that suit him and be patient with him as well.”