GRAEME Murty last night hit back at criticism of his tactics and substitutions at Ibrox on Sunday and denied Rangers could have been more attack-minded after Celtic were reduced to 10 men.

Murty’s team surrendered the lead twice in the first-half of the Ladbrokes Premiership game and then allowed Brendan Rodgers’s side to score a winner after Jozo Simunovic had been sent off in the second-half.

The 43-year-old, who has been given until the summer to prove he deserve a long-term deal, feels that poor finishing and bad defending cost the Govan club a second consecutive draw against their city rivals.

He predicted that both he and his players, who will attempt to bounce back from the painful 3-2 defeat by beating Kilmarnock for the first time in the 2017/18 campaign at home this afternoon, will be better for the experience.

“I watched the game back three or four times,” said Murty. “In the 10 minutes up until they scored their third goal they got out their half once.

“Alfredo (Morelos) has a one v one with the keeper and we’re dictating the tempo. But for some defending that wasn’t our finest moment, we’re in control of the game.

“I got Jason (Cummings) on, I took Sean (Goss) off, dropped Josh (Windass) back. We are looking at the areas to try and hurt them.”

He added: “I have looked back on it, I have looked back on the changes that we made and I think that as well as the players getting better I will get better.

“That is the first time I have been in the situation where we have gone into a game and people have expected us to beat Celtic. Because we are 2-2 and they are down to 10 men people are expecting us to win. I have never been in that situation either.

“It is my feeling that we will be a better team for the experience, we will be a better group for the experience. Walking off the football pitch with that level of performance, having to perform in a pressure environment is something that will help them.

“It is a disappointment, it is a hard one to take, but the next time we are in a situation like that we will be a better team I have no doubt.”

Meanwhile, Murty has confirmed that David Bates, the 21-year-old centre half who was stretchered off in the first-half of the game against Celtic, has damaged ankle ligaments and will be sidelined for at least six weeks.

“There is no break but there is significant bone bruising because it was a significant injury,” he said. “It’s painful for the kid, painful for a young man who has done well for us, played well and is maturing.

“But I do have to say that given the freak nature of the injury we’re delighted that that’s all it was because it could have been significantly worse.”

Murty confirmed that Russell Martin, who missed the Celtic game at the weekend with a back strain, was available for selection once again and predicted that Ross McCrorie, who has been out with a foot injury since December, would be in contention for a start imminently.

“Russell took full part in training today so he will be in the squad for tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully Ross will be back shortly. He is doing advanced levels of rehab with minimal discomfort. We are looking to integrate him with the squad again maybe as soon as the start of next week.

“That would slightly offset David being out of the group, but let’s not forget the hu-man side of it. David is a little bit low at the moment because last Sunday was a massive game for him, a massive experience but he’s now experiencing the pain of a significant injury.

“So while we are celebrating Ross coming back, we have to make sure we don’t forget David.”

Murty, whose side had been on a six game winning run before they played Celtic, argued the fact Rangers had been expected to win at Ibrox on Sunday shows how far they have progressed this season.

“The atmosphere was like nothing I have ever experienced,” he said. “I think that possibly for the first time since I have been at the football club there was a sense of expectation against Celtic.

“I hope we’re showing we’re closer to them. I hope we’re showing the distance between us is shortening. But we still have to go and take that next step which is win the game.”

Rangers will be doing well to put the Celtic result behind them against a Kilmarnock side they have drawn with and lost to so far this season. However, Murty feels taking on Steve Clarke’s team will ensure his side perform to the best of their abilities.

“It’s another big game,” he said. “But players come to this club to play big games. It’s going to be difficult. But I’d rather it be a game of this ilk against a team that are going really well.”