DARRYL BROADFOOT and MARTIN GREIG AT LOVE STREET Walter Smith refused to become embroiled in arithmetic as Rangers joined Celtic on 86 points before the fateful final day of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season.
Last night's 3-0 victory over St Mirren at Love Street, achieved via a Jean-Claude Darcheville double and a Kris Boyd opener, has whittled down Celtic's goal difference advantage to four. It leaves the defending champions in prime position to secure their third successive title, provided that Gordon Strachan's side take care of business against Dundee United at Tannadice.
That scenario would leave Rangers needing to defeat Aberdeen by at least a five-goal margin, which has not been achieved on league duty since the freakish 7-2 win against Falkirk earlier in the season.
Smith was not for indulging in the forensics ahead of a thrilling climax at Pittodrie and Tannadice, especially after Saturday's damaging 1-1 draw against Motherwell at Fir Park. "It is disrespectful to the teams we are going to play against - Aberdeen and Dundee United - to expect us just to turn up and win the game," said the Rangers manager. "They are always difficult to play against and you saw with Motherwell at the weekend that they didn't just allow Rangers to turn up and win. You have to see how circumstances turn out."
Regardless of the outcome of an arduous season, Smith declared himself satisfied with the development of his team. "It is far better than last year," he said of the current position. "We were no-hopers at this stage of last season but we know if we win it puts Celtic under pressure to win their game. We have a target to hit."
To that end, Rangers disposed of their 4-1-4-1 formation in favour of a more adventurous 4-3-3 that is set to be replicated at Pittodrie.
"We played very well tonight and maybe in the end could have scored more goals but we have to be satisfied by the win first and foremost," said Smith. "I am just pleased we won the game and had a good start - we even hit the post at the end of the first half to give us a chance of going in 3-0 up at the break.
"The pitch meant there was no great deal of continuity for either team. From our own point of view we set out to win the game and managed to do that. Now, each team has to try to win their game and you never really know what will happen, do you?"
French striker Darcheville, meanwhile, remains confident that the Ibrox side can secure the title for the first time since season 2005-06.
"Anything is possible in football," insisted Darcheville. "Maybe you can score five or six goals, everything is possible. We need to wait and see on Thursday night. Maybe Dundee United can get a good result against Celtic. I think they can."
While three goals were an acceptable return against a hitherto miserly St Mirren defence, Rangers were left to rue a succession of missed chances which could have further eaten into Celtic's goal difference.
"After we scored very early in the game everybody thought it was possible to score a lot of goals, but we only scored three," added Darcheville. "I think the first thing tonight was that we won the game because against Motherwell we lost two massive points. Everybody is now looking to Thursday night."
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