WALTER SMITH believes Rangers will be under pressure to stop Celtic taking another step towards a potential nine-in-a-row when they make their top flight return next term.

Ronny Deila’s side are on the brink of clinching a fifth successive Premiership title and will do battle with the Light Blues for a place in the Scottish Cup final on Sunday.

After four campaigns outside of the league, Rangers will be back amongst our twelve highest ranked clubs next season and many Gers fans are confident that Mark Warburton’s side are capable of bridging the gap and stopping Celtic in their tracks at the first attempt.

And, when asked if he worried about Celtic getting nine-in-a-row and whether it should be a consideration for Rangers, former Ibrox boss Smith said: “It is a pressure that will come on Rangers, it will come on right away.

“I hear people saying that they have got time, but I’m afraid time and patience were never virtues that Rangers supporters were blessed with in particular.

“They will get back and it doesn’t matter what they say, I think it is a really good thing for Scottish football when you see Rangers going back in there.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone says, we have missed the Old Firm. It has taken an edge off Celtic, there is absolutely no doubt about that.

“I think Ronny Deila has had kind of a rough ride, but he has not had the motivation that Rangers bring to the league championship.

“If you look at Celtic, they have maybe downsized a bit from when I retired five years ago. With due respect to the players that are there just now, I don’t think Celtic are as good a team as they were five years ago.

“Any assessment you have to make on Ronny Deila is a difficult one. They have dropped a little bit of a level, maybe quite rightly, because they don’t need to spend the money that had to if Rangers were challenging them for that Champions League place.

“I think Celtic have downsized a bit, which has made it more difficult for Ronny Deila.

“Motivationally, it is difficult as well because you are going into a season and what is your motivation?

“You are going to win the league because you have won the league for the last five years.

“When that happened before for both Rangers and Celtic when they were winning nine in a row, they always knew they had to beat the other one the following season.

“Celtic have not had that for four years. I think that has been a problem for them. It doesn’t really count on Sunday.”