KENNY MILLER is confident Rangers can challenge for the Premiership crown on their return to the top flight this term.

Mark Warburton’s side rounded off their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 defeat to Premier League outfit Burnley at Ibrox on Saturday.

Now all attentions are firmly fixed on the visit of Hamilton Accies this weekend as the Light Blues get set to play in the Premiership once again.

An impressive Championship campaign and the arrival of a host of summer signings have given the Ibrox crowd renewed optimism ahead of the big kick-off.

READ MORE: Danny Wilson: Rangers will bounce back from Burnley defeat for Premiership openerGlasgow Times: Kenny Miller believes Rangers can challenge for the title

And Miller knows Warburton’s squad have to live up to lofty expectations in the coming months as they get set to go head-to-head with Old Firm rivals Celtic for the silverware.

He said: “I’m confident we can bridge that gap. All we can go on is how we are, how we work every single day and take it from there.

“We can look at the games we had last year against higher level opposition and there’s no doubt we’re now in a stronger place with a stronger squad that we had then.

READ MORE: Danny Wilson: Rangers will bounce back from Burnley defeat for Premiership opener

“So the competition for places is going to be great, which can only be healthy for the club going forward. For me there’s only one aim and that’s to win the league.

“There’s no doubt [Celtic have] got a far bigger squad than us. But we’re happy with the players we’ve got within our squad at the moment.

“We’re more than capable of going and challenging them this year. I’m as excited as I’ve been before previous Premier League seasons, perhaps even more.

“It’s a new challenge for us, a big challenge. We’ve come through the lower leagues and it’s taken us four years to get back to the top.Glasgow Times: Kenny Miller and Burnley's Ben Mee (left) compete for the ball during the pre-season friendly match at the Ibrox

“So it’s exciting. Anyone who isn’t looking forward to it shouldn’t be here. I’m really looking forward to the challenge, week in and week out.

“When you’re here you win a game and straight away it’s on to the next one.

“The demands are the same, the expectations are the same and it will only get greater the further you progress through the season to what will hopefully be a title come the end of it.”

After easing into the last 16 of the Betfred Cup with four wins against Motherwell, Annan, East Stirlingshire and Stranraer, it was to prove a disappointing day for Warburton’s side at the weekend.

Clarets striker Andre Gray was the star of the show as he hit a hat-trick to give the visitors a deserved win before a late Ben Mee own goal reduced the arrears at Ibrox.

The Light Blues squad had a lengthy discussion in the home dressing room after the game and Miller hopes the messages will have got through as the countdown continues to the new campaign.

He said: “We always analyse things win, lose or draw. It might have been a bit longer this time after the game as there were a few things said that probably needed to be said.

“But again it’s not any different from normal. We always talk.

“The manager is really big on the communication side of things. We try to sort things a few things ourselves.

“The issues that arose today we want to make sure they don’t come back again.

“What was said remains within the dressing room but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out the issues that need to be addressed.”