Ally McCoist has said that his team needs to keep up the pressure on Celtic as they aim to salvage some silverware from their season.

Rangers were eliminated from the Scottish Cup last weekend by Dundee United and know that overcoming Celtic's four point gap at the top of the table is their only chance of winning a trophy this term.

Manager Ally McCoist insists that his players will keep focus as they aim to stay in touch with their title rivals.

McCoist said: "We have to keep asking questions and keep winning games.

"Everybody at our club knows the importance of that. It's a massive game for us on Saturday for a number of reasons, coming back off the defeat in the cup and having to maintain our league challenge."

Despite suffering defeat to Dundee United last weekend in front of a sparse crowd, McCoist insists that the mood at Ibrox is upbeat ahead of their match with Dunfermline this weekend.

He said: "There is disappointment when you lose a game but we've had a couple of good meetings and the training sessions have been excellent.

"The boys know what's required, they know they have to win games. We have to do everything we can to retain our championship, which is going to be very difficult.

"Celtic had a great result again the other night and that doesn't make it any easier, that's for sure."

The Rangers manager admits that he is surprised by Dunfermline's failure to register a home win so far this season and knows that their opponents will prove a dangerous test.

He said: "It's certainly a tricky trip.

"I was at the midweek game and Kilmarnock probably had more of the ball but you would maybe argue the case that Dunfermline actually had the better clear-cut chances.

"It's a tough game for us. I'm bamboozled by the fact that they haven't won at home. On the evidence of the game I saw the other night, it's a strange and bizarre situation. But hopefully it continues."

McCoist has also backed his players to keep their focus on the pitch after another week of negative headlines surrounding the off-field matters at Ibrox.

He said: "They are intelligent people, they read newspapers and they watch television.

"In terms of sheltering them, it's extremely difficult. I'm not sure you would want to shelter them away from everything because we have to face facts.

"Everybody knows the league is now of absolute paramount importance to us and you have to take the comments with a pinch of salt and you have to take the good with the bad.

"I don't think it's a bad thing that we all know the situation we are in."