DEREK MCINNES needs to get a big result against Rangers at Ibrox tomorrow night for his credibility as a manager, according to Alex McLeish.

The Aberdeen boss hasn’t enjoyed the best of records in big matches against Rangers or Celtic of late, and the back-to-back defeats to Rangers in December allowed the Ibrox side back into the race for second.

And McLeish reckons that the Dons boss will want to make a statement, particularly having knocked back the Rangers job to remain at Pittodrie.

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“Derek’s been a great manager for Aberdeen,” said McLeish. “But he’s still learning his trade

“He was badly beaten in those two games, and it will be uppermost in his mind that he has to get a result against Rangers. That will be a massive factor for Derek, because these are the games you get judged on.

“If he loses out on this one as well, then it puts him under a wee bit of pressure again. His record against Rangers and Celtic in recent times isn’t great.

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“It’s not all down to him, he can only plan and use the tools that he’s got. If the Aberdeen players aren’t better than the Rangers players on the day, then that can happen.

At the same time, it’s a massive game for Derek. He’s got to start winning games like this to prove his prowess as a manager in the British game.”