Rothwell accepts Scottish giants Rangers already facing key week of season

The Glasgow giants are off to their worst start in the Scottish top flight since 1989 after a third consecutive 1-1 draw at St. Mirren on Sunday. Manager Russell Martin, who was only appointed in June, has won just three of his opening nine games in all competitions, the worst record of any permanent appointment in the club's history.

They now face the task of trying to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the second leg of the second leg of their Champions League play-off against Club Brugge in Belgium on Wednesday. And they could fall nine points behind Scottish champions and arch-rivals Celtic with defeat in the Old Firm derby on Sunday.

"Wednesday night is a massive game for us," said Rothwell. "If we can go there and turn that tie around, then it'll obviously give us massive confidence going into the weekend game."

The 30-year-old, a pre-season signing from English Premier League side Bournemouth, added: "And then we play that game and who knows where it can take us, if we manage to pick up three points.

"It can be a defining week, two massive games in two different competitions and obviously we want to be playing Champions League football.

"That's obviously the aim, so if we can go out there and do that and take the momentum into Sunday and then that hopefully can be a season-defining moment for us."

Rothwell insisted Rangers "have to believe" that they can mount a title challenge, despite falling behind to St. Mirren in the 33rd minute before teenage substitute Findlay Curtis grabbed the equaliser with his third goal of the season.

Rothwell said: "The fans just want the results and we want to give it to them and at the minute it's just not quite going how we want it to go. Obviously they're entitled to be disappointed, as we expect.

"But we just need them to stick with us and rally together and hopefully then we're not far away from getting the results."