Rangers midfielder Joe Rothwell accepts the following week might be season-defining for Russell Martin’s struggling aspect.
The Ibrox outfit dropped factors once more domestically on Sunday at St Mirren, off the again of a calamitous opening 20 minutes in opposition to Membership Brugge at residence in midweek, ultimately shedding the sport 3-1.
Commercial
Rangers journey to Belgium for the return leg of that Champions League play-off on Wednesday, earlier than the primary Previous Agency derby of the season in opposition to Celtic on Sunday, realizing a defeat would depart them 9 factors behind their rivals after simply 4 league video games.
Rothwell, 30, began in Paisley because the Rangers assist had been left annoyed once more and he says there is no such thing as a shying away from how massive their subsequent two matches are.
“We simply should attempt to block it out as a lot as you’ll be able to and we all know the magnitude of the video games which might be arising,” Rothwell mentioned.
“Wednesday evening is a large sport for us. If we are able to go there and switch that tie round, then it will clearly give us large confidence going into the weekend sport.
Commercial
“After which we play that sport and who is aware of the place it will probably take us, if we handle to choose up three factors.
“Or not it’s a could be a defining week, two large video games in two totally different competitions and clearly we wish to be taking part in Champions League soccer.
“That is clearly the purpose, so if we are able to go on the market and do this and take the momentum into Sunday after which that hopefully could be a season-defining second for us.”
Regardless of the end result in opposition to Brugge within the first leg, Rothwell says Rangers can take positives from how they battled within the second half having gone three targets behind earlier than the break.
Commercial
“Clearly, we had been disillusioned with how that sport went in the course of the week, particularly first half,” he mentioned.
“I feel second half we got here out and confirmed in all probability extra of what we wish to do and as I say, if we are able to go there to show that after which Sunday’s an enormous sport for everybody.
“Clearly, we all know a lot it means to everybody, how a lot it means contained in the altering room and hopefully we are able to go there and get a constructive end result.”