Nasser Djiga out of Rangers vs Celtic as dreaded derby scenario unfolds after unwanted record
Rangers' home Premiership draw against Dundee at Ibrox on Saturday means they have failed to win any of their opening two league games for the first time in 36 years.
It was actually worse for Graeme Souness back in 1989/90 as his Light Blues side lost both of their first two matches, going down St Mirren and Hibs.
Russell Martin can at least boast two more points than that Souness side which won just two of their first eight games that season - and still ended up winning the title.
That might give Martin some hope although a drastic improvement in performances is required after consecutive 1-1 draws, at Motherwell last weekend and at home to Dundee on Saturday, to start the season.
Yet things are about to get a whole lot tougher and problems seem to be mounting against Martin - although one major issue it could be argued is of the club's own doing.
Nasser Djiga has been one of the positives in the early part of the season with his performances in the Champions League qualifiers.
The on-loan Wolves man was sent off on Saturday for a hauling down Dundee's Finlay Robertson as he raced in on goal.
Djiga will now serve a one-match suspension and the Ibrox side's next game is against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup.
However, SPFL rules state the ban must be served in the competition ins which the red card was received, meaning the Burkina Faso international will sit out the next league game.
That would have been the trip to St Mirren the following weekend with Sky Sports selecting that match for live coverage on Sunday, August 24.
However, Rangers have taken up the SPFL on the option for all Scottish clubs to postpone their fixture sandwiched between both legs of their European play-off ties.
That means - unless the Light Blues somehow surrender a three-goal lead against Viktoria Plzen - the trip to Paisley will be rescheduled and Rangers' next league game is the visit of Celtic to Ibrox the following Sunday.
Not having Djiga available for that would be a huge blow to Martin and to make matters worse, glass-half-empty Rangers fans have already worked out a dreaded scenario.
Celtic have opted not to rescheduled their home game against Livingston on the weekend Gers were due to travel to St Mirren so victory in that, and in today's trip to Aberdeen, would mean the champions going to the home of their rivals knowing a victory would send them TEN points clear after just four Premiership match days of the new season.
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