When Kemar Roofe was forced off at half-time in the 1-0 Old Firm derby victory at Ibrox, Rangers fans could have been forgiven for feeling rather anxious.

After all, Roofe has been in prolific form for Steven Gerrard's side so far this season - since his arrival last year, the 28-year-old has bagged 12 goals and two assists in 21 appearances across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

And Rangers' worst fears appeared to be confirmed after Gerrard suggested the Jamaican striker will miss most of January as he works his way back to fitness.

The Light Blues boss has subsequently revealed that Roofe is back in first-team training having shaken off the lingering effects of the thigh strain he picked up in the second Old Firm derby of the season at the start of the month.

Whilst this weekend's Scottish Premiership clash with Ross County will most likely come too soon for him, Gerrard indicated that he should be back in full training next week, so perhaps fans could see him feature off the bench against Hibernian instead.

Either way there's no doubting the fact that this will be a "massive" boost for Gerrard, with former Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor insisting the news will give the Rangers manager a welcome headache as he mulls over his options upfront.

Roofe has made 15 Premiership appearances so far this season and has ten goals and two assists to show for his 12 starts, with Rangers currently in title contention at the top of the table just over halfway through the campaign.

After early criticism, he has quickly established himself as a fan favourite with the 54-time Scottish champions, having scored two times in four appearances in the Europa League, including a wonder goal against Standard Liege last year.

With Alfredo Morelos experiencing some patchy form, meaning Gerrard has been forced to rely on Cedric Itten instead, there's no doubt the Liverpool legend will be delighted to welcome Roofe back into the squad, providing he can stay fit and healthy, as he could provide the cutting edge to propel the Gers towards the title for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

AND in other news, Rangers should unleash Cedric Itten against Ross County...