Rangers shouldn’t expect any favours from old friend Neil Warnock, Aberdeen’s new manager, when the wily old fox comes to Ibrox in midweek determined to get his new charges into a better place than the mess they currently are.

Warnock is a canny fellow, an experienced old hand who knows how to get the most out of underperforming and relegation-threatened sides, and the Dons could have done a lot worse than appointing him.

He’s a dear friend of Rangers, and we know several fans who have spoken to him in the past and he expressed his unwavering desire to manage Rangers one day.

Who knows, that may still happen in the future, but for now he’s Aberdeen’s new manager and Rangers’ task next week just got a lot harder.

Warnock is a hell of a motivator, and a hell of an organiser – he’s been round the block more times than anyone could care to remember and in truth he’s an excellent appointment by Aberdeen who really do need to sort themselves out if they’re ever to be a force in Scotland again.

Interim coach Peter Leven, a good Rangers man of course, got an epic point when Celtic came to town yesterday, and he will, we assume, remain on the staff with Warnock when the new manager takes his place.

It means Dons, already buoyant from their draw with Celtic, may just smell blood with Rangers, and now with a proper manager in tow they may think they have a sniff of a chance.

Truth is they do.

We know the trouble they caused Clement’s Rangers at Pittodrie, it was the Belgian’s first big blot as boss, and while he was much better for the League Cup final, well, the Dons now have form back and a dangerous attack.

Miovski is one fine striker, and that’s something Rangers don’t have at the moment.

But we do have a great defence, and a fine run of form.

Rangers v Aberdeen has a LOT of subplots for sure…