Rangers manager Ally McCoist has urged his players to stay positive following the loss of top goalscorer Nikica Jelavic.

The Croatian striker sealed a reported £5.5m move to Everton on transfer deadline day, with the Scottish champions unable to recruit a replacement before the window closed.

But McCoist is adamant that negativity is not an option as Rangers look ahead to the remainder of the campaign and aim to win a domestic double.

He said: "Selling your main striker and top goalscorer is not ideal, but it's a fact of life that we have to face up to. I'm not going to be negative at all.

"We played Motherwell and beat them 3-0 at home and Nikica didn't play. We played very well against Hibs, and won 4-0 at home, and Nikica didn't play in that game either.

"I'm not saying for a minute that I wouldn't rather have him in the team but what I am saying is we can score goals.

"Rangers will always create chances, we will always score goals, and that's what we have to keep doing."

With Jelavic's departure adding to the loss of other key personnel through injury, McCoist believes now is the time for youngsters and fringe players to shine.

He said: "It's an opportunity for boys on the fringe. If they do get an opportunity, they must grab it.

"Now is not a bad time to be a young lad at Rangers because circumstances dictate that, if you're good enough, you will be given a chance.

"That's the case, not just with the young lads, but with some of the fringe players as well.

"If they do get an opportunity, I would urge them to grab it."

Next up for Rangers is tomorrow's fifth-round William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United and McCoist issued a rallying call for the entire club to pull together ahead of the clash at Ibrox.

He said: "What we need now is unity - we really need unity from the players, fans, all the staff and everybody involved with the football club.

"It's common knowledge that we are in financial trouble with the possibility of the tax case as well. Everybody knows that.

"What we don't need is doom and gloom and everybody walking about with their faces tripping them.

"We have to be positive and we have to believe.

"We have to all head in the one direction - and that's forward.

"As manager of the club, that's what I'll be doing."