Warburton: Rangers will not be measured on St Johnstone test
Rangers manager Mark Warburton has dismissed suggestions that their League Cup tie with St Johnstone is a significant marker of their progress.
The Light Blues have won all 11 games under Warburton but face Ladbrokes Premiership opposition for the first time when the Perth side visit Ibrox in the third round.
However, Warburton is viewing the game as just one test of many they will face this season.
"The intrigue is always there for a game: to see how we prepare, how we train, and how we perform," Warburton said.
"But there's no specific intrigue because it's a premier league team. It's the next challenge.
"They are a consistent top-six team, they have European experience, they have won cup finals. So we are always respectful.
"But right now we are in good shape, we are fit, we are mentally strong and we are looking forward to it.
"The run tells you that we are physically strong and mentally strong week after week, and hopefully it shows we have tactical awareness, so we are in good shape."
Warburton does not want the game to be built up so much that his players are either carried away with victory or knocked down by defeat.
"You can't build self-belief and confidence from the first day of pre-season in June until now and then say it changes on one game," the former Brentford boss said.
"It can't be that fragile. We knew we had a good group in pre-season and that's been confirmed by the quality the last 11 games.
"So it's not going to change massively on one game. If we have a shocking game or an outstanding game we are not suddenly a lousy team or world-beaters. But we will learn from any experience.
"Everyone says it's a barometer. No, it's not. It's the next game."
Winger Michael O'Halloran insists Ibrox will hold no fears for St Johnstone.
O'Halloran has been a thorn in Ladbrokes Premiership defenders' sides this season but he will also be tasked with pegging back Rangers left-back Lee Wallace on Tuesday night.
He said: "Rangers are doing okay in the division they are in, scoring goals, and not conceding many. But it is hard to judge how good they are.
"They are doing well and we will be wary of them.
"It is an incentive to be the first team to beat them this season but our priority is getting to the next round of the competition.
"That is the main objective. We want to go as far as we can in the cup."
Source: PAR
