Rangers could have no better opportunity to serve notice of their readiness to challenge for further honours next season than when they meet the team which thrashed them 6-1 over two legs the last time they met.

That is the view of old foe Chris Sutton, the former Celtic striker turned BT Sport pundit who is relishing the prospect of their meeting with his brother John’s former club Motherwell on the first weekend of the new season.

Following that Premiership play-off thrashing Rangers underwent a change of management and came out of the blocks brilliantly and significantly last season when they beat Hibs 6-2 in the Challenge Cup, setting up a season that would see them lift that trophy and the Championship title.

Sutton reckons they will look to do something similar this time around, but warned that too much should not be expected too soon.

“When the draw came out that was the tie because Motherwell haven’t played Rangers since the 6-1 which was such an enormous tie and there’ll certainly be a lot at stake,” he said.

“Rangers will want to go to Motherwell and make a statement, show that they’re going to push not only in the cups but in the league this season.

“I still think Rangers supporters need to be a little bit patient. As much as they want to make big steps there has to be an element of realism.”

However, he believes they are making the right moves in terms of giving themselves a chance to make an immediate impact on their return to the top flight.

“Mark Warburton has had a disappointing end to the season at Rangers, albeit a successful season when they’ve gone up comfortably,” he said.

“I like the fact they’ve signed Joey Barton. I know there’s been different things said about Joey Barton, but it only makes Scottish football more exciting and Rangers will want to go to Motherwell and make a statement, show that they’re going to push not only in the cups but in the league this season.

“After the defeat by Rangers Celtic now look like they’re going to get their act together and that’s going to make it difficult for Rangers, but they’re doing the right things, they’re linked with Kolo Toure, I don’t know, but Mark Warburton’s trying to get a better quality of player in, some experience.

“That’s what he feels they need to really push Celtic and the likes of Hearts and Aberdeen, but I think that Mark Warburton is going about it the right way in terms of trying to bring quality in rather than quantity.”

He agreed, too, with former Rangers hero John Brown that Celtic have been shocked into responding.

“The semi-final was a big deal,” said Sutton, who will be part of the BT Sport team that will broadcast the Betfred Cup exclusively live.

“Dermot Desmond was over, I’ve read the story about whether there was an altercation with Rangers over celebrating or not.

“Whether the Rangers directors did or didn’t, it was a wake up call.

“Celtic had gone backwards under Ronny Deila and was that the game that Dermot saw it with his own eyes and realized how bad it’d got, I think it was and they are making a statement now by getting some one of Brendan Rodgers stature and ilk in and Celtic mean business.

“Having said that they need to back it up in terms of bringing new players into the club and I’m sure that will be the case.

“It’ll be an important few weeks for Brendan, I believe he’s met some of the players, he’s met the captain Scott Brown but they need players in because the Champions League qualifiers is a really big deal, in terms of Celtic showing they’ve improved in Europe and financially to kick the club on.

“Brendan will want to hit the ground running.

“Celtic let the gap close for me and that one result Rangers deserved to win and if you were a Celtic fan that must have hurt and Celtic had to respond and Dermot has responded.”

June sees the arrival of the SPFL Betfred Cup, with 80 group stage fixtures. BT Sport has just announced the first five matches it will broadcast exclusively live, including Motherwell vs Rangers on 16 July