St Johnstone midfielder Dan Phillips has stepped up his comeback from injury.
A muscle strain kept the Trinidad and Tobago international out of Saints’ last three matches but he was back on the McDiarmid Park grass for training on Tuesday and could be available to face Rangers this weekend.
“Dan was out doing some running today so I’m hopeful he’ll make Sunday,” manager Craig Levein reported.
“It will be good to get him back.”
Levein revealed that the decisions to take Benji Kimpioka and David Keltjens off during the second half of the Perth side’s defeat to Dundee were made with injury prevention in mind.
“We’re just trying to be careful with Benji until he gets up to full speed,” said the Saints boss.
“Someone whose game is based around running and running at full speed, I’m just a bit wary about how often we use him.
“This week, we don’t have any midweek games so he gets a full week’s training.
“Previously we’ve been Saturday, then midweek and back playing at the weekend.
“We’ve a number of boys like that – David a wee bit as well.
“He’s not played a lot of football so I’ve been trying to look after him.
“They both had hamstrings, so that was the main reason for taking them off.
“Matty (Smith) got through it and scored a good goal.
“I don’t think he’s back in a rhythm yet but he will be very helpful in the weeks and months ahead.”
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