Source: PA
No rest for Smith's stars
Rangers manager Walter Smith does not feel he has the luxury or the leeway to rest players as the Ibrox club continue their challenge on four fronts.
Rangers are in four competitions beyond Christmas for the first time since 2008, when their Clydesdale Bank Premier League charge fell at the final hurdle after the UEFA Cup final defeat by Zenit St Petersburg. They then struggled to a Hampden win over Queen of the South to complete a domestic cup double but their squad has been much reduced since then.
They go into Sunday's Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final against Motherwell amid an increasingly tough title battle against Celtic, whose 4-0 win over Hearts on Wednesday kept them five points ahead as Rangers won against Hibernian.
Rangers have two games in hand on Celtic in the SPL, which remains their most important competition given the opportunity it offers for access to Champions League riches.
However, Smith insists he will not be leaving out key players without good reason against Motherwell, whose squad is arguably the thinnest in the top flight.
"Some players have niggling injuries that they are playing with and we might have to spare them occasionally, that happens at all clubs," Smith said. "We don't have a big enough squad or the luxury of being able to leave them out for a specific thing. It's hard to prioritise when you have a situation where at Rangers and Celtic you have got to win."
