WITH a Uefa Cup Final just one week away and a major fall-out over Rangers' failure to have the season extended further, there is more than enough to occupy the thoughts of Walter Smith.

However, the Ibrox manager is trying to put everything else to the back of his mind to allow him to prepare properly for his side's home league clash with Motherwell tonight.

With no room for error in the championship race, following back-to-back defeats in Old Firm games and a scoreless draw with Hibs at Easter Road over the weekend, it is must-win for Rangers.

Currently seven points behind defending champions Celtic at the top of the table, but with three games in hand, Gers now have it all to do again in the title race and Smith realises their championship challenge is hanging in the balance.

Although the headlines have been dominated by their preparations for the Uefa Cup Final against Zenit in Manchester next week, and their failed attempts to free up some space in their hectic fixture list, it's Motherwell who now have their full attention.

"This is the first home game in quite a while," said Smith. "We play Motherwell tonight and then Dundee United on Saturday and I hope that is something we can take advantage of and try to obtain maximum points.

"But these games are against the teams who I feel have shown the biggest improvement this season. Both Motherwell and Dundee United, to their credit, have had terrific seasons.

"So it will be a tough one for us tonight and again on Saturday. But I think a big factor could be we are at home for the first time in a wee while and we'll have a good support cheering us on and getting behind the players."

So are Rangers now under more pressure than ever before now that they know further slip-ups could result in them handing the advantage back to Celtic in the title race, or does it change the way the players approach games?

"I don't think the mindset changes that much as you always go into games knowing you've got to try and win them anyway," said Smith.

"What changes is the way that games are played. When you have to win then it puts an extra onus on you to get forward and get the goals that are necessary."

Smith is clearly frustrated at suggestions Rangers only have themselves to blame for not already having the SPL title wrapped up, or that they are struggling for form at a time when they really need to shine.

"Do you just go to Celtic Park for both games against Celtic and walk in, win the games and then walk out having won the league?" said Smith. "It doesn't happen like that.

"Celtic have a fantastic record there, even in European terms in the Champions League, so they were always going to be really tough games for us. And it's the same for our two semi-final encounters with Fiorentina.

"They are sitting fifth in Serie A and were above AC Milan in the league prior to the weekend so they were another two extremely tough tests for us, but we managed to come through them and reach the final.

"If anyone thinks you can walk into these games and score willy-nilly then fine, but it's difficult and it was also the same at Easter Road against Hibs on Sunday."

Many fans thought the title was in the bag when Rangers won their fourth Old Firm derby on the trot.

Smith's men moved six points clear with one game in hand following that win, but they go into tonight's Ibrox clash against third-placed Motherwell knowing that defeat would take the destiny of the championship out of their hands.

While Celtic bounced back from that Ibrox loss, Rangers have dropped 10 points in their last four SPL games, including those two defeats at Parkhead.

But the boss is not feeling the heat after Celtic turned the tables, with the help of Gers' cup exploits, to move seven points ahead.

Smith, in his first full season back at Ibrox, is pleased to be in with a chance of stopping Celtic winning their sixth title in eight years.

And the 60-year-old is well aware that Gers' two recent SPL triumphs were secured in the final minutes of the season.

"Celtic have performed consistently well over the last couple of seasons, to their credit," Smith said.

"Nobody here would ever have expected that this season would have been any different.

"If you look back at the championships that Celtic have lost recently, they have all been late in the season. They have managed to win the last two fairly comfortably.

"So, we are getting back to a situation where we are putting up a better challenge.

"This season, if you said to me with four or five games to go we would be challenging for the championship, I would accept that. I would have thought that would have been a good season for us.

"So we have to keep that in mind, but we also know that not only are we making a good challenge, we have the opportunity to win the championship if we can win our remaining games."