RANGERS are facing an anxious wait to find out if Madjid Bougherra will make their crucial SPL clash with Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday.

Gers boss Walter Smith had expected Bougherra, who missed the Co-op Insurance Cup Final defeat by Celtic last Sunday with a calf strain, to be available.

However, the Algerian defender did not train with his team-mates when the squad returned to Murray Park yesterday and remains a doubt.

Davie Weir is suspended for the showdown with the Jambos after being ordered off against Inverness Caley Thistle earlier this month. But the Rangers coaching staff will still take no risks with star player Bougherra ahead of what promises to be a fraught 10-game title run-in.

Rangers can move ahead of Celtic - who take on Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday - at the top of the table on goal difference if they beat Hearts.

Assistant manager Ally McCoist confirmed: "Davie is obviously out suspended. Madjid Bougherra will continue getting treatment and working with the physios right up until Saturday.

"We will give him every opportunity to play. He is a big player for us.

"Madjid's injury has taken a bit longer to heal than we thought it would. It has surprised us a little bit. It was a big disappointment that he missed Sunday.

"He felt his calf a bit in the Hamilton game. We didn't think it was anything serious and took him off more as a precaution. Unfortunately, it turned out a little bit worse than we expected.

"He was very keen to play at the weekend, but there was no point rushing him back when we have a massive run in and some big, big games coming up. If he's not right then we won't play, but we will give him every opportunity to do so."

Lee McCulloch, Christian Dailly and Maurice Edu are all on standby to play for Rangers as makeshift centre-backs should Bougherra fail to make it.

But McCoist expects Kirk Broadfoot, who took pain killing injections in his foot to play against the Hoops at the weekend, to declare himself available for selection against Czaba Laszlo's third-placed side.

Speaking to RTV, he added: "Kirk Broadfoot was sore, I spoke to him the day after the final on the phone.

"I think that was his heart, his head and his foot, a bit of everything. And rightly so.

"He doesn't take it well and you wouldn't want him to take it well. If Kirk Broadfoot has a chance to play he will play. That is the attitude you are looking for from Rangers players."