Madjid Bougherra is unlikely to be involved in Rangers' Clydesdale Bank Premier League game against Kilmarnock at Ibrox.
The defender has been on international duty helping Algeria qualify for the World Cup finals and boss Walter Smith has pencilled him in for a return against Stuttgart in the Champions League next week instead.
DaMarcus Beasley is struggling with a hamstring strain and will miss the visit of Killie but, like Bougherra, should be fit for Tuesday's game.
Steven Whittaker has recovered from a hamstring injury but Pedro Mendes is still sidelined with a knee problem.
Whittaker has urged Rangers to pile the pressure on Celtic by returning to the summit of the Premier League.
The Scottish champions are two points behind with a game in hand and can return to the top on Saturday with Celtic travelling to Dundee United on Sunday.
"We need to continue to put pressure on them," said Whittaker.
"Any time we get the opportunity to play before them, it's important we take the points and push on in the league.
"With the game being at Ibrox, hopefully that's a plus for us and the fans will get behind us and we can take the three points.
"It's important that we focus on the job in hand and that we have good results and performances over the Christmas period."
The last meeting between Rangers and Kilmarnock was marred by the performance of referee Steve Conroy.
Gers boss Walter Smith was sent to the stand, while Mendes and Manuel Pascali were both dismissed and seven other players booked in a game both camps claimed was far from a dirty affair.
"The games between Kilmarnock and ourselves have always been well-contested and there have never been any problems," said Smith.
Kilmarnock's injury worries are clearing up.
Mark Burchill and Allan Russell took part in two closed-door games during the international break which allowed them to top up their fitness following returns from an Achilles operation and a broken hand respectively.
Defender Simon Ford is back in training following a knee operation but the game has come too early for him.
Kilmarnock defender Frazer Wright believes manager Jim Jefferies is a more than worthy candidate for the vacant Scotland job - and claims the Ayrshire club would struggle if he left Rugby Park.
The former Hearts and Bradford boss is one of the front runners to replace George Burley who was sacked on Monday.
Wright, whom Jefferies snapped up from Stranraer in 2005, insists the departure of his boss to Hampden would leave a huge gap to fill at Killie.
"The gaffer is as well equipped as any manager for the Scotland job," he said.
"Walter Smith has ruled himself out so I think it will be a toss-up between Craig Levein and the gaffer.
"I rate our boss very highly.
"He brought me from the Second Division, gave me the chance to play in the SPL and now I am playing there every week.
"He instils a lot of confidence in you, and he helps you out if see sees something wrong with your game.
"He has been in the game for so long all you can do is look up to him.
"He won the Scottish Cup with Hearts and the work he has done here with hardly any money shows how good a manager he is and it would be a big loss to us if he left.
"It would be hard for another manager to come in and work within that same budget.
"But no one at Kilmarnock has really mentioned it and if something happens, it happens and we will deal with it."
Wright is looking forward to the clash with Rangers at Ibrox where he could come up against Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd.
The Killie defender admits he would rather mark Boyd - despite the former Rugby Park striker's propensity for scoring against the Ayrshire club.
Wright said: "Personally, I prefer to play against Boyd - but he always seems to score against us.
"The less mobile the better for me. I'm more of a 'stand and win the headers' type of defender.
"So when you are playing against someone like Miller with pace and hard work and always on the run then it's harder for you.
"One minute you can be marking Boydy, then the next minute Kenny so you need to be on your toes and your concentrations is good."
