MOMENTUM is hard to gain but easy to lose. If Rangers are to avoid a familiar fate in the Premiership, Ryan Jack knows that fortunes must change.

There has been a sense of deja vu about the first two seasons under Steven Gerrard's guidance and now it must be third time lucky.

Gerrard has seen his side start well and have the look of potential champions on two occasions, only for Rangers to stumble when the finishing line comes into view.

If that pattern continues this term, the consequences this time around will be even greater than what has come before.

When the title was called and handed to Celtic in May, a period of soul searching and reflection began at Ibrox.

The mistakes of the past two seasons cannot be repeated once again and Jack knows what must change as Gerrard's side look to continue building after making it three from three with victory over St Johnstone on Wednesday night.

"I think one of the key words is momentum," Jack said. "You have got to build that momentum and when teams are giving you that challenge every week to stop you, it is up to us to embrace it and take it on rather than going into games worrying. So far, it is so good.

"For us, you have always got to reflect. I have reflected personally and, for me, I have got to be at it every day and in every game.

"I think we always need to have that mentality that we want to kick on and improve, otherwise we will come unstuck and someone will catch us out. We have used a lot of words over pre-season and had a lot of meetings talking about momentum and being relentless in every game.

"When you have got that shirt, there is a lot of quality in the squad and it is up to you to grab your chance and keep it.

"So far so good but obviously you can’t stand still because teams will try and stop you. We just need to keep going and getting results."

That will be the same aim when Rangers head to Livingston knowing that a victory would take them eight points clear of Celtic in the Premiership title race.

By the time their Old Firm rivals return to action after their Coronavirus shutdown, Gerrard's side could be 11 clear.

But both Gerrard and Jack were keen to play down the opportunity that has presented itself as Rangers focus on the job in hand after Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo netted at Ibrox.

Time will tell if Gerrard chooses to hand starts to recent recruits Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten or whether he sticks with the side that have won the last two fixtures by comfortable three-goal margins on Sunday. He certainly has the options.

"It is going that way," Jack said when asked if this was the best squad he had been a part of at Rangers. "It is definitely going that way. The manager has added a lot of good players and a lot of quality to what we had last season.

"Going forward we are going to need that and we are going to need everyone to be at it every day. Whenever you get a chance to get a shirt, you have to try and keep it.

"I think it is always going to take time for Cedric and Kemar to gel in and find their feet. They have played abroad so it will take time to come over here, get their stuff, get their family, over here.

"They have both come in, they are great guys with great attitudes and both have trained really well and integrated into the squad really well. It is a plus for us and I am sure they are going to come in and really help us."