MARK WARBURTON insists he will always defend Rangers from attacks from rivals after he hit back at Hibs boss Alan Stubbs this week.

The Easter Road gaffer claimed Warburton had a ‘very easy’ job at Ibrox due to the budget that has allowed him to rebuild his Light Blues squad this summer.

The jibes have added more intrigue to Sunday’s Championship clash as Rangers look to move six points clear of Hibernian in the standings.

And Warburton will not be slow in coming forward if he feels comments directed at his club are out of order.

He said: “I understand you have to sell papers, headlines and making stories, but the fact is my job is to defend Rangers Football Club.

“If someone says anything derogatory then I will always defend it, but it is done now, it is gone.

“When I talk about other clubs I will either be supportive of a manager or complimentary of a manager and his team – I think that is fairly commonplace in football.

“But if I think something is wrong, it is my job and Davie Weir’s job to defend Rangers. But other than that it is water under the bridge, it is gone now.

“We will concentrate on what will hopefully be a good game on Sunday, a high quality game, and touch wood we will get the right result.

“I look forward to sharing a drink post game with all the coaches and managers. I am meeting new people, going to new places.

“I had great hospitality at Ayr on Wednesday night, fantastic first time for me to be there even though the weather wasn’t tremendous. You are meeting different people and hearing different ideas.”

Rangers have won five out of five so far this season under Warburton and Weir and kicked-off their campaign with a 6-2 triumph at Easter Road last month.

Victory over Stubbs’ side would be another marker of the Gers’ title intentions this term but Warburton won’t lose sight on the job in hand this weekend.

He said: “It’s just another game. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way.

“But you don’t get five points for winning on Sunday. It’s three points.

“It’s a packed house because of the efforts of the players and all credit to the fans for getting the fans excited and looking forward to the game. But it’s three points.

“If you go away and beat the bottom of the table team you still only get three points.

“We have to recognise that and our job is to prepare well and be the best we can be.

“And hopefully if we turn up and do that we will be in good shape – I know we will be in good shape.”