WHEN Rangers moved top of the Premiership with victory over Hearts earlier this month, their reign last just three days before they were deposed from first place. Now, back at the summit and with all of their rivals behind them, the immediate aim is to remain there for four matches.

The win against Hamilton on Sunday saw Rangers claim pole position in the title race for the second time this term but there was no fanfare at Ibrox after a largely forgettable 90 minutes.

The challenge for Steven Gerrard and his players is to ensure that they don’t make the same mistake twice and allow their advantage to slip through their grasps once again.

A defeat to Aberdeen and draw with Dundee wasn’t exactly the follow-up that Gerrard was hoping for in the aftermath of their battling victory at Tynecastle a fortnight ago.

Rangers have three games – at home and away to Hibernian either side of a trip to St Johnstone – to come before the second Old Firm clash of the campaign.

And everyone at Ibrox will have a better idea of just where the Light Blues are at present when the top flight shuts down for its winter hiatus.

“I’d be very satisfied if we are [top] going in to the break,” Gerrard said. “I said during the European run I ‘d be happy to be in the mix.

“The run has come to an end and the fixture schedule gets lighter, we get more training days for the domestic games.

“There’s a transfer window where we can dip in and get a little help. If we are in the mix after the winter break I’ll be very satisfied.

“We have to be humble and respect the fact there’s not much in it right now, with only five points or so separating about five teams.

“We won’t get carried away. We’re happy to be there and we want to stay there but there’s too much football left to play.

“There will be a lot of twists and turns between now and the end of the season. It would be naive to get carried away.”

The run of festive fixtures that Rangers are now in the middle of has, for some time, had a potentially defining look about it for Gerrard and his players and the eagerly anticipated clash at Easter Road this evening is another huge challenge.

The efforts the Gers have put in so far this term have been considerable but it will take an even greater push if they are to be rewarded with silverware come the end of the campaign.

“We’ve done ever so well up to now,” Gerrard said. “We’ve showed we are moving forward.

“The changes I’ve made from game to game have been to try to get oxygen for this final run in before the break.

“There are individuals who need a bit of help, but that’s just the way it is at the moment.

“They have to be up for it. They have no choice. You need everyone to a man to be at it in a hostile environment.

“It will be similar to Hearts, the stadium is close to the pitch, every challenge will be contested and the referee will have a tough job because it will be two teams right at it.

“It will be a derby atmosphere. We need to be ready for it but we are well aware of the challenge we face. I said to the players this morning, we can’t afford to carry anyone.”

It is a quirk of the calendar that it has taken until mid-December for Rangers to meet Hibs for the first time this term but it is far from a step into the unknown for Gerrard.

The win for Neil Lennon’s side against Celtic on Sunday allowed Rangers the chance to go top with their 1-0 victory over Accies. And the man that masterminded it is no stranger to the Ibrox boss.

“I have competed against Neil for many years as a player,” Gerrard said. “I have bumped into him a lot at holiday destinations.

“We live in a similar area of Glasgow so we often bump into each other. I know him well.

“He does [wear his heart on his sleeve]. Listen, he is a winner, he loves winning and he certainly gets an extra buzz out of getting results against Rangers as we all know.

“Look, it is going to be feisty game. They are all going to be right up for it, their manager is going to be up for it, but so are we and so am I.

“I hope my players are because it’s an exciting fixture and one they should be really looking forward to. There will be a great atmosphere there.

“It is a good place to go and play. It is a terrific challenge for us right now.

“I am sure they are going to be the ones who want to knock us off the top. We have to be ready for that.”

Gerrard and Lennon may have become familiar with each other on and off the park over the years but this will be the first time they have stood in opposite dugouts.

No quarter would be given if they were in the midfield battle. Now, both will demand their players adopt a similar outlook.

“We have a chat,” Gerrard said of his meetings with the Northern Irishman. “You have got to respect all the managers in the league. I saw him at the Under-21 match not so long ago.

“We are actually neighbours, but I don’t really see that much of him. But the respect is there.

“We used to go toe to toe on the pitch, be at each other’s throats and kick lumps out of each other because we were both winners and were both tenacious players. Now we are on the side of the pitch we are probably not much different.

“It’s not about me and Neil Lennon. It’s about the teams and which one turns up with the best game plan and is successful on the day.

“We want to be as consistent as we can from now until the break. We want to be in the mix after that Celtic game and then go away and find some oxygen for the second part of the season.”