Rangers manager Ally McCoist insists his side will be ready for Wednesday's Old Firm derby with Celtic despite their defeat to St Mirren on Christmas Eve.
The Ibrox side saw their lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League cut to just one point as they lost 2-1 in Paisley while Celtic won their eighth match in a row against Kilmarnock.
At one stage Rangers held a 12 point advantage over their Glasgow rivals but a recent slump of form means Celtic could enter 2012 as the league leaders if they can come out on top in Wednesday's crucial crunch.
However, Gers gaffer McCoist denies the title momentum has now swung in favour of Celtic and said form counted for nothing in an Old Firm match.
"We will be ready for the game, I can guarantee you that," the Rangers manager said.
"It's going to be a tough game but we will be ready and the players won't need lifted for that one because it's a big, big game.
"Celtic are on a good run of form at the moment in terms of victories, but it counts for absolutely nothing.
"The truth of the matter is I would rather be a point ahead than a point behind. Of that there is no doubt."
Rangers will be without centre-back Dorin Goian for the match following his sending off in the match against St Mirren.
However McCoist will have midfielder Lee McCulloch available after the Ibrox club decided to appeal his dismissal in the same match.
Meanwhile, Celtic boss Neil Lennon says his players will be looking for revenge in Wednesday's showdown after losing the first Old Firm derby of the season 4-2 at Ibrox.
"We didn't do ourselves justice at Ibrox," said Lennon.
"So I am looking to my team to be highly motivated and play better and compete better than they did in the second 45 minutes of the first Old Firm game.
"If they do that they will give themselves a great chance of winning the game.
"Whatever formation we face on Wednesday, they are the champions and have had a good mentality over the last three or four years.
"But we are in a good place and I want us to go out and stamp our authority on the game if we can."
Defender Emilio Izaguirre is fully recovered from an ankle break earlier in the season and was on the bench for Saturday's win over Kilmarnock.
And Lennon revealed the Honduran international and fellow stopper Kelvin Wilson, who came on as a second-half substitute against Killie, were in contention to start against Rangers.
Elsewhere, third-placed Motherwell will be looking to get over their defeat to Hearts when they take on struggling Dunfermline at Fir Park.
Hibernian, who are still waiting to win a point under new boss Pat Fenlon, welcome Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Easter Road, St Johnstone take on Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park and St Mirren face Dundee United.
Despite their financial problems Hearts are looking for their third win in a row when they travel to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen.
Fixtures
Wednesday
Aberdeen v Hearts, Celtic v Rangers, Hibernian v Inverness CT, Motherwell v Dunfermline, St Johnstone v Kilmarnock, St Mirren v Dundee United
Source: AFP
