Earlier this month Ross County went to Celtic Park and got ritually humiliated despite their respectable position in the league table. Rangers dangerously slipped up at Tynecastle (Hearts could only manage a point the following week at Livi).

Last weekend Celtic travelled to Pittodrie and gubbed the life out of them, while Rangers critically responded with a tough and gritty performance to avoid losing any pace in the league.

It’s safe to say the Parkhead side, with 10 goals in two matches, 6 being v Rangers’ hosts tonight, have laid down a bit of a marker, and it’s up to us to keeping responding to it.

At home Rangers struggled v Motherwell, in fourth, while then-fifth placed County got absolutely molicated at Celtic’s patch. But respond we did – and that was the determination and sleeve rolling of a side less easily going down than Neil Lennon’s side are used to.

Now slightly in freefall, the Dingwall men are ripe for Rangers’ picking, and while we wouldn’t strictly expect our men to nab 6 goals up there, a strong win would be a bit of a statement in response to Celtic rolling them over 11 days ago at home.

This title race is simmering, and a good measure of where teams are is how they fare against the same sides – County will desperately be seeking 3 points having not won for over 5 weeks.

Celtic’s match v St Mirren looks a formality – even if Rangers found the going tough in Paisley earlier this season – so it’s up to Steven Gerrard’s side to continue to prove they’re in this one for the long haul.

We believe there’s a real shout at the title this season – as long as this team keeps winning that shout cannot be silenced.

And places like Ross County are where we must prove the gloves can be landed.