Allan McGregor sat within two feet of the UEFA Cup yesterday: close enough to lean out and touch it, but the Rangers goalkeeper will play no part in his team's attempt to get their hands on the distinctive victory vase this evening.

McGregor's season was truncated in mid-April when he sustained an ankle injury against Celtic in his side's 2-1 defeat at Parkhead. It was a cruel blow for a player who had been one of Rangers' outstanding contributors for the majority of the season.

"It's difficult to be out for such an important game," said McGregor. "I knew just after the Celtic game that he would not make the final. I saw a specialist two or three weeks ago and he told me as well. To see all this and be part of it, it is finally kicking in now. But it's a big squad and all the boys are together. I'm just going to get behind all the boys, as the squad has been all season, and I think that is one of the major reasons we are here."

Strangely, the loss of McGregor has not weakened Rangers. In his absence, Neil Alexander has emerged as an unlikely hero for the Ibrox side, making a crucial save from Fabio Liverani in the semi-final shoot-out win over Fiorentina.

With Zenit St Petersburg's glut of attacking riches, he will have another key role to play tonight. "Neil has come in and done really well," said McGregor. "He saved a penalty against Fiorentina and saved another one in Scotland against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-final. He looks really confident."

Steven Naismith was another whose hopes of running out in Manchester were extinguished by injury. The striker sustained a knee injury last month and faces an extended spell on the sidelines. Even if he had been fit then he would have been unlikely to start tonight, but the former Kilmarnock striker has dedicated himself to being a positive presence in and around the dressing room.

"For the first season that this squad has been together it has been a great achievement," he said. "We've dug in and now we're in the final with a chance of winning it. All the injured boys have stuck together and given the rest of the boys the moral support that they need. We got a good result at the weekend and hopefully we can take that into the final and show what we have shown all season: we have been strong in defence and when we have got a chance we have been able to take it."

Rangers will pursue the same cautious approach tonight that has taken them to the final. They will adopt a 4-5-1 formation and seek to soak up Zenit's pressure then hit them on the break. The style has been heavily criticised by opponents this season, but McGregor insists that the team's pragmatism is nothing to be ashamed of.

"It doesn't matter how you play as long as you get results, especially at this club. Nobody has been able to put us out of the UEFA Cup so far, so they can say what they want. It doesn't bother me so long as the club keeps winning."

Naismith was also philosophical about the accusations of "anti-football". "It's a results-driven business and is all about the amount of trophies you win. If a certain style of football is going to win you trophies then you will play with it."