Rangers defender Danny Wilson is not taking his place in the side for granted ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premier League clash with St Mirren after an impressive start to his Rangers career.
The 17-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong since being asked to partner David Weir in the centre of the Gers defence after Madjid Bougherra and Lee McCulloch were ruled out with injury.
The teenager made his debut in a 3-1 League Cup win over Dundee and has since made his European bow in the Old Firm side’s 1-1 with Unirea Urziceni on Wednesday.
Bougherra expects to be fit enough to return when Rangers take on St Mirren this Saturday at Ibrox but Wilson’s early contributions will cast genuine doubt over whether the Algerian merits an instant comeback after injury.
The teenager insists he is taking nothing for granted but there’s no doubt he has given manager Walter Smith something to think long and hard about as Rangers aim to cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the table.
Wilson – who became the club’s youngest Euro debutant since Willie Henderson in 1961 – added: “I’m just taking things as they come.
“I know there are more players in the squad who are capable of stepping back into the team.
“Just to have been given the nod for the couple of games I’ve played in so far has been excellent for me. I think I’ve done well so far but I need to keep trying as hard as I can when my chances come along. If I play I play and if I don’t, I won’t be too disheartened.”
Smith will be without injury victims Pedro Mendes, Maurice Edu and Kirk Broadfoot for the match against the Buddies, who have made a solid start to their league campaign.
On Sunday, league leaders Celtic are away to Falkirk where boss Tony Mowbray will be without midfielders Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney through injury.
But the boss has been boosted by the return of Marc-Antoine Fortune from injury after he made his come-back as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Kilmarnock last Saturday.
His eight-week absence limited Celtic’s striking options but Fortune looked sharp and dangerous when he came on as a second-half substitute.
“It’s easy to look back and say that we’ve missed Marc but you always miss good players when they are out,” Mowbray said. “He adds something different to the team.
“When he was fit and available at the start of the season, the team was generally scoring goals. He gives us a different dimension to the qualities of Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras.
“Those two players have worked very hard for us, but Marc’s work with his back to goal can give us a platform. We will look to utilise him and the other strikers as the season goes on. They all have a part to play, but I was delighted with Marc’s return.”
Hibernian could join Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League if they triumph against Hearts in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle on Saturday.
John Hughes’ side are 12 points ahead of their city rivals, who sit in eighth position in the table but the Jambos have home advantage.
In Saturday’s other games Aberdeen take on St Johnstone at Pittodrie, Hamilton take on high-flying Motherwell in the Lanarkshire derby and Kilmarnock host Dundee United.
Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)
Saturday
Aberdeen v St Johnstone
Hamilton v Motherwell
Hearts v Hibernian
Kilmarnock v Dundee United
Rangers v St Mirren
Sunday
Falkirk v Celtic (1245)
