Rangers fan favourite rushed to hospital on Hogmanay and ruled OUT of Celtic clash

JACK BUTLAND is OUT of tomorrow’s Old Firm clash after spending Hogmanay in hospital.

The Rangers No1 spent the night under observation for a ‘significant internal bleed.’

3 Jack Butland is out of the Celtic clash Credit: SNS

3 It's a major blow for Rangers boss Philippe Clement Credit: PA

3 Philippe Clement is already without James Tavernier Credit: Willie Vass

Butland, 31, was released by doctors this morning but has no chance of facing Celtic at Ibrox in the derby.

His understudy Liam Kelly will start for Philippe Clement’s side.

The Scotland squad keeper only made his first league appearance for Rangers last week when Butland attended the birth of his child.

Now Kelly will be between the sticks against Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Rangers confirmed the big selection blow late this afternoon.

A club statement read: “Rangers can confirm goalkeeper Jack Butland will miss tomorrow’s Old Firm match with Celtic.

“The goalkeeper suffered an internal bleed in his leg which required hospital treatment, but he has since been released and is recovering.

“Everyone at Rangers wishes Jack a speedy recovery.”

Clement is also without skipper James Tavernier with Leon Balogun unlikely to be declared fit to play after picking up a calf injury in the 2-1 defeat to St Mirren on Boxing Day.

Clement said: “There's a very, very, very small chance that Leon can return. We will see.

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“He did some individual work on Tuesday. We lose Tav also, who got an injury at the end of the Motherwell game.

“He could continue, but we took a scan and there's clear damage there that he will be out for a few weeks.

“Of course it's a blow as every injury is a blow.

“We had a few blows in that way in the last weeks, the last months.

“But it's about finding solutions and looking for solutions and go and work out of that.

“So that's what the team has been doing.”

Understudy Kelly came through the Gers ranks as a kid but had to move away for regular first-team football at QPR then Motherwell.

He rejoined in the summer - a move we exclusively revealed in the Scottish Sun - and finally made his debut last month - again at short notice.

He stepped in between the sticks to face Dundee after Butland made another hospital dash - for the birth of his baby daughter.

He pulled out of the Premiership fixture during the warm-up at Ibrox and announced the safe arrival of his baby six hours later.

Beyond that sharp exit Butland has been practically ever present for the Belgian boss - only rested last year in the Scottish Cup fourth round win over Dumbarton.

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