Meanwhile, Bailey Rice needs to have surgery after picking up a muscle injury in training.

Rohl hopes to have Souttar and Moore back by the end of December, but admits muscle injuries are unpredictable. Meanwhile, Cornelius’ set-back could keep him on the sidelines for longer.

Souttar was forced to sit out of Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark after sustaining an injury in the warm-up to the game, replaced by Hibs defender Grant Hanley. He’d started for his nation in a 3-2 defeat against Greece days before.

Meanwhile, Cornelius sat out of his country’s first fixture, a 0-0 draw with Ecuador, before returning to the starting line-up against Venezuela on Tuesday.

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However, the left-sided centre-back who is on loan from Marseille, had to be removed inside 30 minutes.

Moore meanwhile has picked up a muscle injury playing for England Under-19s.

Rice is also injured and having surgery today while Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are doubts for tomorrow’s meeting with Livingston.

Rohl said, asked when players with muscle injuries would return: “John and Mikey, I hope at the end of December. But it’s a muscle injury, it could be 25 days, it could be 40 days. You never know. Derek at the moment, I have a little doubt that it’s just four weeks, five weeks. It could be longer. Yeah, and Bailey is today is Bailey’s surgery, it’s a big one.”

Rangers have other options at centre-back although Souttar and Cornelius have generally been first picks this season.

Nasser Djiga, who didn’t feature for Burkina Faso over the past fornight, is on loan for the season from Wolves while Emmanuel Fernandez, a £3.5million signing from Peterborough this summer, has started just two games.

Nasser Djiga is on loan from Wolves (Image: Andy Buchanan / Shutterstock)

James Tavernier has also deputised in the centre of defence and Clinton Nsiala, frozen out of the first team by Russell Martin, has been training with Rohl’s side in recent weeks.

Meanwhile Rangers are hopeful that Dujon Sterling could feature over the course of the next week in his first appearance since an Achilies injury sustained against Athletic Bilbao in April.

The club face Livingston at Ibrox tomorrow in the Scottish Premiership before hosting Braga in a must-win Europa League encounter midweek.

John McGlynn’s Falkirk will then travel to Ibrox next Sunday as a busy match schedule over the festive period begins.