LEE McCulloch insists he is fit enough to play in central midfield for Rangers for the rest of the season.

The Gers skippper has been moved from his usual berth at centre-half in the Ibrox club's last three competitive outings.

His return to the boiler room has coincided with a sharp upturn in fortunes for Ally McCoist's struggling team.

The SPFL League One champions have beaten Clyde in the Petrofac Training Cup, Dumbarton in the Championship and Queen's Park in the League Cup.

The 35-year-old former Scotland star is enjoying his new role and is confident he can do a job there for the Light Blues in the rest of the campaign.

"I love playing in midfield," McCulloch said. "It's different but I enjoy playing in there alongside Nicky Law.

"Since going into the middle I have pitched in with a couple of goals and a few assists.

"The legs aren't a problem in there, it's just about keeping form. I'm one of the fittest in the team, so it's no problem for me to play in there."

McCulloch helped Rangers to a narrow 2-1 win over Queen's Park in the first round of the League Cup at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie on Tuesday night.

The victory, achieved courtesy of a Kris Boyd double, set up a mouthwatering Ibrox clash with Premiership leaders Inverness Caledonian Thistle next month.

The Glasgow club was on the receiving end of a 3-0 thrashing when they played the Highlanders in the same competition two years ago.

However, McCulloch is adamant that his team is now in a far better position to defeat their top-flight rivals than they were back in 2012.

He said: "I would say we are definitely in a much better place.

"The younger boys who played that night for us obviously have added the experience of more games for the club and we've brought in players who have improved us.

"They have also given us a bigger squad.

"So I think we are now definitely in better shape to face Inverness."

McCulloch's goal in the emphatic 4-1 league win against Dumbarton last Saturday secured his place in the Scottish football history books.

The ex-Motherwell and Wigan star has now scored in all four senior leagues as well as the Challenge Cup, League Cup and Scottish Cup.

But McCulloch is more concerned with his boyhood heroes achieving promotion to the Premiership and is targeting a win over second-placed Queen of the South at Ibrox on Saturday.

He said: "It's great to have that record but it's not really about personal glory this season.

"It's about doing well in the cups and winning this league."