IT is often said you are never more than a couple of games away from a crisis as Rangers manager. Steven Gerrard is not there yet, though.

Three fixtures without a win have seen questions asked as the 38-year-old has been assessed and analysed like never before this term. A fourth against St Mirren this afternoon would give more ammunition to his doubters and detractors.

There are no panic buttons being pushed at Ibrox, however. Nor will there be as Gerrard, his staff and his players look to put a difficult and disappointing week behind them.

The pressure has built as the draw with Spartak Moscow has been followed by a defeat to Aberdeen and stalemate against Kilmarnock.

But assistant manager Gary McAllister believes there are reasons to be optimistic ahead of the trip to the Simply Digital Arena as Rangers look to get back on track.

“For me looking at it, it’s the last two games,” McAllister said. “I don’t include the Spartak game.

“I thought that was a cracking European cup tie, two good teams, they probably cost around £100 million.

“The frustration from that night was due to the fact that we’ve built up new expectation. I thought it was two good teams, they’ve got good players, we’ve got good players, and we couldn’t break each other down. They came with a specific plan to play in a low block.

“The last two games is a wee bit different, against domestic teams. The cup tie and the game against Killie.

“Teams are defending in numbers, they are getting behind the ball, they are allowing us possession, we’re bossing the game. But within those games there have been positives.

“We’ve had chances. If we take those chances it makes life a whole lot easier.

“The demands of the European run as well, going Thursday-Sunday and having to repeat.

“There is very little time. It’s just recovering between games.

“There are massive demands on players. But we have a big squad, we can’t use tiredness and fatigue as an excuse. We have a big squad, capable of dealing with these sorts of fixtures.”

The lack of cutting edge that was prevalent against Spartak last week came to the fore again and cost Rangers dear at Hampden as their chances of Betfred Cup success were snatched away by the Dons.

Gerrard had demanded a reaction from his players against Kilmarnock but the one he got wasn’t what he expected as another two points were dropped in the Premiership.

The momentum has been lost in recent days but McAllister has no doubt that the Gers squad have the mentality to overcome their first real adversity this term.

He said: “I think the Spartak game has been dragged into this little run of results but I thought that was a good result. I thought it was a good game between two good teams.

“So you are looking at Aberdeen and Kilmarnock. There’s not a long wrong – apart from the most important bit.

“The hardest thing to do in football is to score a goal. We have looked pretty solid defensively but then we got done by a sucker punch off the set-piece at Hampden.

“We’re fine. We just have to trust about what we doing in the training ground and believe in ourselves. I think we have got guys who are strong enough to do that. They won’t hide from the challenge.

“There are some good games coming up, with a European tie in there as well before the next international break.

“We just want to get a run going again. Because when we were in that nice spell and momentum was good, clubs like this are pretty special places to be.”

The problems have been fairly evident for Rangers in the last week but the solutions may prove to be harder to identify and implement. A lack of effort isn’t at the heart of issue right now, but a lack of quality at crucial moments has been.

Rangers have found it difficult to break down defences that are compact and well-drilled on several occasions over the course of the campaign and they will face a similar challenge against the struggling Saints this afternoon.

There hasn’t been enough guile or creativity about the Gers’ play in their last three outings and that has to change in Paisley if they are to avoid another costly result.

McAllister said: “I expect them to get behind the ball and make it difficult for us.

“Under no circumstances do we think this is a given, it will be hard work to break them down and create chances.

“They are not in a great place and it has been a tough run for Oran but they are fighting for their lives and we will have to play well and work the ball well, be as good as we have been in possession, but get further up the pitch and be a little finer.

“Watching us, we’re a team that plays with intensity and there are some nice quick combinations in and around the box but on occasions in wide areas when we do get those chances we need a wee bit of guile and composure.

“The momentum was fantastic and we rode with it and it was very enjoyable, we received some nice plaudits.

“We played some good football and scored a lot of goals. We’ve just come unstuck a couple of times, both in games in which we’ve bossed and enjoyed a lot of possession.

“We could been a little more clinical as we had chances in those games and it has become a wee bit frustrating, we heard that from the fans.

“It’s that belief, we’ve got to trust what we do and go hunting for opportunities for two v ones in and around the box to get that advantage to make chances and we’ll be fine.”