Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes is backing Rangers to roar back into action this weekend as he prepares a visit to Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
The Ayrshire outfit are back in the big leagues following promotion last season and are wary of facing a wounded animal when Rangers welcome them to Glasgow this weekend.
The Gers support are suffering after a lacklustre showing against Celtic and we suspect the atmosphere at Ibrox threatens to be a little toxic as a result.
But speaking ahead of the game, ex-Rangers midfielder Derek McInnes reckons his Kilmarnock charges will be coming up against a side with a point to prove.
What’s more, the expectations at Ibrox dictate that everyone at the club will need to get their heads straight and back to winning ways as soon as possible.
This comes after McInnes was asked if the defeat to Celtic is likely to affect the Rangers team.
Derek McInnes backing Rangers to bounce back v Kilmarnock
“I wouldn’t have thought so,” said Derek McInnes.
“It is a different competition, the nature of the club is they have to go again and that’s the way it is.
“There will be disappointment but Rangers have been pretty consistent.
“Since Michael has come in they have had some good results and I expect Rangers to ask the questions of us, being at home, but I expect us to have the answers and hopefully deal with what’s coming and hopefully be good enough, use the experience we have had.
“Rangers’ attacking threat as a team has improved. I don’t think you saw that at its best on Sunday as a lot of the time the attacking players were doing a lot of work out of possession, given the opponent.
We should expect Rangers to come at us but I want Rangers to come off the pitch having had a tough day.
“It is a 90-plus minutes performance we need, 45 minutes doesn’t cut it at Ibrox.
“You have got to be on it for the majority of the game and that is tough when you are surrendering a lot of possession at times and the opposition are asking questions, but we know that if we do so many things right we can also frustrate Rangers as well.”
Rangers trail Premiership leaders Celtic by nine points with anything but a comprehensive victory and performance over 11th placed Kilmarnock surely set to see the groans get louder.
Meanwhile, the signing of John Souttar is emblematic of major issues at Ibrox.