Lee Hodson: We've got to believe Rangers can catch Aberdeen
Lee Hodson says Rangers will need to keep the faith if they are to catch Aberdeen and finish second.
Rangers trail the Dons by nine points in the race to finish as Ladbrokes Premiership runners-up behind runaway leaders Celtic.
But as Pedro Caixinha's men must play Aberdeen twice before the end of the campaign, there remains plenty of time for Rangers to claw their way back into contention.
The first of those meetings takes place in Aberdeen a week on Sunday, but beforehand Hodson and his colleagues must see off Motherwell and Kilmarnock.
And the Northern Irishman admits Rangers' strength of conviction needs to stand up to the test.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of Well to Ibrox, Hodson said: "We've got to believe we can catch Aberdeen.
"In the last three games we've shown some real positive signs that we can push forward to where we want to be.
"If you go into games thinking you're not going to win, that's not right. You need to have that winning mentality.
"This week is massive. The first game is against Motherwell, then we've got Wednesday's game down at Kilmarnock.
"If we can get six points there, going into the game with Aberdeen on Sunday, it'd put them under a lot of pressure.
"But we have to take it game by game. That's all we can do at the moment and see where it takes us at the end of the season."
Rangers skipper Lee Wallace and midfielder Andy Halliday have both been passed fit, while Rob Kiernan returns from suspension.
But fellow defender James Tavernier is out as he serves his own ban, while injured midfielders Jordan Rossiter (calf) and Niko Kranjcar (knee) remain on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Motherwell midfielder Carl McHugh is enjoying his stint in central defence and believes manager Stephen Robinson is making progress in tightening up the team.
Motherwell conceded 17 goals in four games before Robinson took charge and since then they have shipped only four in three.
McHugh has been brought back into a new-look three-man central defence after Stephen McManus was ruled out with a groin injury, and the former Plymouth player has taken to his new position with apparent ease.
The 24-year-old Irishman said: "It's been grand, I don't mind it. I have played there before when I was younger. Midfield is probably my preferred position but I don't mind playing either, I am comfortable.
"I played a few games there last season if we had injuries or if we changed the shape to a three at the back, I dropped back in there.
"As long as I am playing, I don't mind where I am playing. We have big Mick (McManus) injured and he is a big loss.
"We have looked defensively good. We were seconds away from getting a clean sheet at Aberdeen and that would have been a good performance from us.
"We conceded two goals at home to St Johnstone but in the main in the last three games we have looked quite solid, and we've got big Ben (Heneghan) coming back on Saturday as well and he will be a big plus for us."
Source: PAR
