Steven Gerrard: Rangers still 'have targets to achieve' despite Scottish Cup exit
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Steven Gerrard admits he was stung by Rangers' Scottish Cup loss to St Johnstone
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard says his league champions still have "targets to achieve" despite losing to St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
The Ibrox side host city rivals Celtic in the last of Sunday's three Premiership fixtures.
Gerrard wants to retain Rangers' unbeaten league record this season, create a new clean-sheet record, and reach 100 points.
"What is left is small targets," he said.
"There are still some things that we want to try to achieve. An Old Firm game also always helps in terms of getting the players ready and motivated and in the zone."
Gerrard pointed out that "the remit, the focus of the season, was the league" but admitted that losing in both domestic cups at the quarter-final stage still hurts.
"The cup situation is not sitting too well with me right now," he said. "It is still a bit raw, so it is something that motivates me and I want to challenge everyone else to put that right.
"But, if I was sitting here as League Cup champions and looking forward to a Scottish Cup semi-final but were miles behind in the league, this season would be a massive failure."
With Sweden international Filip Helander likely to miss the remaining games through injury, Jack Simpson, a January signing from Bournemouth, is in line to make Old Firm debut at centre-half.
Midfielder Scott Arfield will also likely miss the concluding three games, in which Rangers need seven points to reach the 100 mark and need two more clean-sheets to match Celtic's 26 in season 1913-14.
"I am in a good place and looking forward to the weekend," Gerrard said. "That doesn't mean that going out to St Johnstone doesn't linger and hurt, but the best way to make yourself feel better is to respond and get a result."
The manager admitted that, when he arrived at Ibrox, he had a struggle to make Rangers' players believe that they could overcome a then dominant Celtic side.
"But it does feel different now," he added. "I do feel now I've got a group of players who believe that, when we put in a real good performance, we can match anyone - especially at Ibrox. It's a much better place to be in."