Ben Williamson was pulled out of the Livingston squad for today’s defeat at Hibs on the orders of Ibrox doctors.
The midfielder is on a season long loan but it seems that the medics at his parent club can over-rule those at Livingston.
On Monday night the Ibrox club issued a statement about positive test results and players self-isolating but since then they have been working to get clearance for players effected to face Celtic.
Steven Gerrard missed the midweek draw against Alashkert with James Tavernier, Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent, Calvin Bassey, Jon McLaughlin and Scott Wright also failing to show up in Armenia.
The bulk of those players are expected to be in the squad to face Celtic but after Livingston’s defeat at Hibs today manager Dave Martindale told the Daily Record:
Ben was pulled out of the squad by Rangers because of a post-C*vid blood test. He was in the starting 11 but their doctors advised us not to play him. His troponin levels in his blood were not what they should have been.
As a full time player at Livingston it seems surprising that blood levels are deemed as an issue by his parent club while Livi were preparing to play him.