Must win: Rangers cannot afford any more slip ups Pic: © SNSpics
Rangers boss Ally McCoist has warned his squad that they cannot afford anymore "slip ups" if they have any hope of retaining their SPL title.
The Gers welcome Hibernian to Ibrox today in what has become a must-win tie for the league champions after they were held to a one-all draw with Aberdeen last week.
The result leaves the champions trailing league leaders Celtic by four points as they pass the season's midway point.
McCoist, who will be without top scorer Nikica Jelavic for the game as the striker recovers from illness, said he was unhappy with his team's recent run of home results.
He said: "We don't want to have any more slip-ups. We want to minimise slip-ups as much as possible.
"With the draw against Aberdeen, the majority of people would look at that as two points lost. We've had four draws at home now and that's not ideal.
"We've got to win games starting with Hibs - it's as simple as that."
With Celtic in Scottish Communities League Cup action this weekend against Falkirk, Rangers have a chance to close the gap at the top but alongside Jelavic, the Ibrox side will be without long-term absentees Kirk Broadfoot, Steven Naismith, Kyle Lafferty, Jamie Ness and Steven Whittaker.
McCoist may turn to new midfield signing Mervan Celik who could be named in the squad for the first time.
Across the coast, new signing James McPake says he is baffled by Hibs' current league position as he prepares to make his debut.
The 27-year-old has arrived on loan from Coventry, but admitted that finding his new side 11th in the Scottish Premier League table and only one point clear of the drop zone came as a shock.
He said: "When I looked at the table I was shocked even before I knew of the interest in me coming here.
"Now that I'm here and have seen the standard of training facilities and the players in training it is even more surprising.
"We have guys like Leigh Griffiths, Garry O'Connor and Eoin Doyle who are all capable of scoring goals, we just need to stop losing silly goals at the other end.
"The manager has drilled it into us that we are losing too many soft goals, hopefully we can put an end to that and results will start to improve."
Tom Soares, also a new signing, is included in Pat Fenlon's squad for the trip but Ian Murray and Danny Galbraith remain sidelined with groin injuries.
Hibernian will also be without Leigh Griffiths and Garry O'Connor.
Griffiths this week accepted a two-match ban after television footage appeared to show him making a one-fingered gesture during his side's 3-2 loss to St Johnstone last weekend, while O'Connor serves a one-match suspension for reaching six yellow cards.
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