Why Rangers winger Jordan Jones faces an uphill battle to regain Steven Gerrard’s trust

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Last January, Steven Gerrard snapped up two Scottish Premiership stars on pre-contract agreements. Glen Kamara joined from Dundee (but agreed to come earlier in January), while Jordan Jones signed from Kilmarnock.

Jones joined the Gers this summer after his Kilmarnock contract expired. He started brightly without setting the world alight. The 24-year-old has now played 10 times, providing two assists.

But last weekend’s performance against Celtic has pushed him right down the pecking order. In the space of less than a week, his Rangers’ situation has taken a major hit. Here are three reasons why he is already battling at Ibrox.

Old Firm shocker

Jones was introduced as a second-half substitute in Sunday’s Old Firm clash with Celtic at Ibrox. Gerrard’s men were 1-0 down against the Bhoys and were hoping that Jones could provide a spark to get them back level.

As he came on, he would have been eyeing the role of the hero. But instead, he was the villain. Deep into stoppage time, with Rangers 2-0 down, Jones needlessly scythed Moritz Bauer down on the flank.

Bobby Madden had no hesitation in giving him a red card. A three-match suspension automatically follows for Jones. But the more serious concern for the winger is that he has now lost Gerrard’s trust and will need to work hard to regain it.

Injury woe

Jones received a red card and a suspension for his Old Firm horror tackle, as well as losing Gerrard’s trust. And it does not end there for the Northern Ireland international. He has now had to withdraw from international duty due to an injury sustained during the foul.

According to The Scottish Sun, Jones is having scans on a knee injury picked up from his foul on Bauer. There are initial fears suggesting it could be ligament damage; ruling the winger out for months. This blocks Jones from instantly bouncing back from his Old Firm nightmare.

Ryan Kent returns

Just before the midnight deadline on Monday, Rangers made their biggest signing of the summer. Ryan Kent returns on a permanent deal from Liverpool. The 22-year-old is a firm fan favourite at Ibrox and Gerrard rates him highly.

Kent will surely jump straight ahead of Jones in the pecking order. When he returns from injury, Jones has one more challenger blocking his path to the first-team. With a host of other wingers on their books, Jones might struggle for regular playing time.