MARK WARBURTON expects to see a reaction from Celtic this summer after Rangers dumped their Old Firm rivals out of the Scottish Cup at Hampden.

The Light Blues booked their place in the Scottish Cup final with a shoot-out success on Sunday as they moved to within 90 minutes of a unique Treble haul this term.

Warburton’s side were twice pegged back by the Hoops before they held their nerve to emerge victorious 5-4 on penalties to set up a showdown with Hibernian next month.

Rangers will set their sights on the Premiership title after securing their return to the top flight by clinching the Championship crown earlier this month.

Warburton said: “We are closing the gap on the team which is at the top of the Premiership - if it’s Celtic, Aberdeen or Hearts.

“Closing the gap doesn’t necessarily mean spending lots of money. Closing the gap means improving the quality of our squad.

“It’s not always about spending £2m, £3m, £4m or £10m - whatever it might be. It’s about adding quality and adding characters who fit into our squad.

“We could go and sign four or five players who, on the park, you would say would add quality - but they would be rotten eggs, bad apples in the changing room. We don’t want that.

“We can’t afford any negativity in the changing room. So a lot of our homework and research is on the characters, to see how we think they fit in.

“I’m not going to speak for Celtic or their manager, far from it. But they’re not going to sit on their hands, are they? That’s for sure.

“Celtic will go hard - as will Aberdeen, Hearts and other teams in the Premiership. That’s the nature of the beast. So we have to do what is best for Rangers and we will.

“At the moment Celtic are the champions and they are going to win the Premiership.

“They have been in Europe for ‘X’ number of years and are financially strong. So we have to recognise it and try to close that gap.”

If Rangers are to launch a bid for the Premiership title next term, Warburton will need another handful of signings to bolster his ranks this summer.

Chairman Dave King visited the dressing room ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm clash and Warburton will spend time with the businessman while he is in Glasgow to discuss his plans for the new campaign.

He said: “It’s always better to speak face to face, rather than through e-mails or phone calls.

“It was good for the players to see him in the changing room. It shows the whole club as one. The players enjoyed it and respected it as well.

“He wished us luck before the game and afterwards he congratulated us.

“It was a good performance from us. I know you’re going to laugh, but I wasn’t worried about the result, I was more worried about delivering a performance.

“He was just wishing us luck before the game and afterwards he congratulated us. It was a good performance yesterday.

“Above all else, I know you’re going to laugh, but I wasn’t worried about the result, I was more worried about delivering a performance.”

Victory over Celtic has only heightened expectations amongst the Light Blue legions ahead of their Premiership return.

And the Ibrox boss knows he and his squad will have to embrace the pressure from the stands once again next term.

Warburton said: “Fans are fans. But we know. When we came here there were two sentences from Jim Stewart and Davie Weir.

“Play Barca and the fans might take a draw. Second is last. They are the two things that we write on the board upstairs.

“If that is the mentality, don’t fight against it, just accept it. Second won’t be acceptable next year to many, many people associated with Rangers.”