Philippe Clement takes aim at Rangers-Hibs scheduling and gives big injury update

Less than 72 hours after defeating Malmo 2-0 in Sweden on Thursday night, Rangers were back in action on Premiership duty against Hibs for noon kick-off live on Sky Sports. The hosts were far from at their best, reliant on a sumptuous strike from Tom Lawrence and a penalty save from Jack Butland to take all three points against a spirited Hibs team that were their equal for long periods of the contest.

Clement questioned the early kick-off time, claiming that even an extra three hours’ rest would have made a substantial difference to his team and the standard of their performance. Their exertions in the Europa League led to a leggy, lethargic performance at times, with a number of players not at their best.

Clement is not alone in voicing misgivings about fixture scheduling - his Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers broached the subject on Friday - and on the matter, he said: “My colleagues also spoke about that last week. In a lot of countries now, over the last couple of years, you look at fixtures and when they are played, which moments all over Europe or there are even teams where teams don't have to play when they have to play Europe like we had with Dynamo Kiev, for example.

“So you play today at 12 o'clock after a European trip where you come home around 2 o'clock at Auchenhowie [Rangers’ training complex]. So then you need to drive back home so players sleep, if they are lucky, around 4am. You have the next day training, you lose one night of sleep, you have one night of sleep and this one is also a short one because you need to wake up really early to be ready for the game.

“So yes, I saw a few players - or several players or almost everybody who played on Thursday and even the guys who didn't play - that they were less fresh than in the last couple of weeks. It's normal. So it's important to take the three points and we had the best chances in this game. So that's what you want, to keep the clean sheet. Do I want better football? Yes for sure. Do the players want that? That also, yes for sure. And you want to see what you saw on Thursday.

“But it's important also in these moments when you are less fresh, when you are tired, to dig in, to get the results and the deserved results and to take the three points and then focus on Thursday. Defensively that's another clean sheet and proved vital today."

Asked if the matter for this specific fixture had been raised with the SPFL, Clement continued: “No it's too late for that, but we spoke about that already last season. And of course I'm not the guy who has contact with the SPFL. I don't know the people there, so there are other people in the club who talked about that last couple of months.

“But at the end it's you guys [the media] or the television who decides, apparently. But it's something to think about if you want to have a good quality product that you think about those things also. Because it's a massive difference to sleep longer today and have a three or five o'clock kick-off. It's a big difference."

“And I understand people who never played, who never travelled in that way, they don't understand because it's like you need to be there every game and you need to run every time because you're well paid and that's true also. But there's a difference for every athlete in every sport.”

Rangers return to action on Thursday in the Europa League against Lyon and Clement hopes to have midfielder Mohamed Diomande back after he missed out against Hibs. “I don't know yet but he's much better already,” the manager said on the Ivorian. “He got a knock on his knee on Thursday. He was not available to play but there's a big chance that he will be available for Thursday. That's what I count on. So nothing too much to worry about.”