GRAEME MURTY has urged his Rangers squad to use their Old Firm heartache to prove they are on the right course to bring silverware back to Ibrox.

The Light Blues saw their faint dreams of Premiership glory ended last month as Celtic won the third derby clash of the campaign.

But Murty and his players have a chance to make amends when they head to Hampden tomorrow afternoon and set their sights on the Scottish Cup final.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers insists gap remains between Celtic and Rangers remains prevalent

Celtic skipper Scott Brown has claimed that the win for Brendan Rodgers’ side would give them a mental edge over their Old Firm rivals.

But boss Murty insists his side can prove a point by clinching a derby win for the first time since the semi-final success two years ago.

He said: “It is an easy answer really. This has been our focus, our desire since I came in.

“I said to the guys this is the big one for us, this is what we want to go and do and win the cup.

“If you are going to win the cup, you have to beat Celtic and it just happens it is at this round.

“If we are on our game, if we concentrate for 90 minutes, better than we did at Ibrox, I believe we have the tools and the players in the team to cause them a problem.

Read more: Amid talk of futures and finances, it is all about the football for Rangers boss Graeme Murty

“Rather than getting [the last Old Firm game] out of their system, I think they should use it as motivation to remember how hurt they were and how disappointed they were to let them off the hook. Use that as motivation so make sure that when they walk off the football pitch they have got a smile on their face.

“Scott (Brown) says lots of things that he believes are true. I believe that my team have more than enough, and showed more than enough, to cause Celtic a problem.

“We have to understand where they are going to be dangerous, we understand that they have good players but I believe that the gap has closed demonstrably and we have to make sure that the next step we take is winning a game because I think that when we do win a game it will kick our belief into another level.”

Rangers endured a tumultuous campaign on their return to the Premiership last term as they finished well off the pace and saw Celtic sweep the board domestically.

Read more: Russell Martin hopes to earn new Rangers deal this summer​

Another derby victory for Rodgers’ side would put them within touching distance of a second consecutive Treble this term.

But Murty believes the gulf between the Glasgow giants has closed in recent months as the Light Blues target Hampden glory on Sunday.

He said: “I believe the league has become closer this year. Not just through ourselves but other teams too.

“But I think for this team and club, we are ready and we need to take the next step of winning, first, that game and then going and winning a trophy.

“Because we need to demonstrate that it is getting closer. Whether it is this game or whether it’s the next game, we need to take that next step.”