GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST has challenged Rangers to lay down a marker of their silverware ambitions in a crucial run of fixtures before the World Cup break next month.
Rangers head into their visit of St Mirren this afternoon just two points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership title race after successive wins over Dundee United and Hearts.
There are three Champions League fixtures still to be played in the coming weeks but the main focus is on domestic matters as Rangers aim to build some real momentum heading into the top flight shutdown.
And Van Bronckhorst knows how crucial this tranche of matches could be while the Old Firm fight it out for Premiership supremacy and aim to prove their title credentials.
Van Bronckhorst said: "It is very important. Of course the league, for me, is the most important competition that we play in this year because you want to be champions of Scotland.
"It is a long run. We still have seven league games to go until the World Cup so we want to continue our winning streak.
"We play three more Champions League games and the game against Dundee, of course, in the League Cup.
"We had a really good performance last week against Hearts and we have to build on that momentum to get the three points with another good performance in the league."
Van Bronckhorst revealed before the defeat to Liverpool in midweek that midfielder Tom Lawrence would be out for the foreseeable future after sustaining an injury in training.
And the Dutchman is still awaiting further news on the full diagnosis as he prepares his squad for the Buddies clash at Ibrox.
Van Bronckhorst said: "For Tom, I don’t have any news that I can share. It is still the same what I said the last time. We are still waiting.
"Squad wise, we have James Sands back from his suspension against Liverpool and we have no worries from the game so everyone who was available then is available."
