Warburton urges Rangers to focus on league despite looming Celtic clash

Mark Warburton insists that even a seven-goal thrashing of Celtic in their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final will count for nothing if his Rangers side mess up in the league.

The Light Blues are 12 points clear of Falkirk at the top of the Championship having played a game less than the Bairns and steaming towards the title and a return to the top flight.

Since the cup draw on Sunday, which took place a day after Rangers hammered Premiership side Dundee 4-0 at Ibrox, attention has been on the Old Firm game at Hampden Park next month.

However, speaking ahead of the home clash with Morton on Friday night, Warburton was keen to stress his priority.

He said: "Right now we have a job to do. You could have a scenario whereby you could go into that semi-final, you could win by seven goals, if you don't do your job in the league, you have had a shocking season.

"Our aims at the start of the season were not to win a cup final, of course go as far as you can in the tournament, but our aim was clearly about the league and you can't lose focus.

"It is our job to make sure we have got that task done in the league. There is a big game on Friday against Morton, that is the key right now.

"If we can get our job done and win the games of football, when it comes round to the game against Celtic it will be fantastic, we will enjoy it and prepare well for it but now it is not in our thoughts."

Asked how close the two teams were in terms of standards, Warburton said: "Celtic are top of the league, they have had European competition for the last number of years, they have a squad full of international players and we are very respectful of that.

"We are not under any illusion about the quality of Celtic.

"But right now were are in good shape as well, we are performing well, doing what we have to do within our league."

Warburton believes his Celtic counterpart, Ronny Deila, "deserves better" than the level of criticism heaped upon him in recent weeks as their lead at the top of the Premiership has been cut by Aberdeen.

The Dons moved one point behind having played a game more with a 2-1 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Tuesday night.

There were less than 15,000 fans at Parkhead on Sunday to see the Hoops book their Scottish Cup semi-final place with a 3-0 win over Morton.

The former Brentford boss said: "I have never met Ronny, I am sure he is very aware of what is involved when you take the job like Celtic or Rangers.

"You set your targets at the start of the season, and one of the targets will be to win the league.

"They have been at the top of the league, they are in a cup semi-final. Everything will be geared towards the European aspect of it, but again, has he had a shocking season?

"I am not going to talk about another club's business but I just feel sympathy that he has achieved on a number of fronts and all I hear is criticism.

"I think a manager like Ronny deserves more than that."

Asked if top scorer Martyn Waghorn could recover from his knee injury in time for the Celtic game, Warburton said: "I doubt that. We are not going to rush him back."