The month of December could end up being a huge turning point for Rangers, with a string of winnable games leading up to a clash with Celtic and an all-important Europa League match.
Despite it starting off poorly with a loss against Aberdeen at Ibrox, the Month of December will prove to be a highly important one for Rangers in more ways that one.
First off is that, in a very basic sense, it’s always important for a club to finish the first half of the season strong heading into the Winter break. No one wants to head into a transfer window with overwhelming questions about your side.
But this Month, in particular, stands out for Rangers when you look at the schedule, as a time that could vault Steven Gerrard’s start as boss into a rampaging success, or plunge it into doubt.
First off, is this Thursdays Europa League clash with Rapid Wien in Austria. If Rangers win the match, they will advance to the knockout rounds of the competition.
It was already an accomplishment for Rangers to reach the group stages, but that was more of a return to form than anything else. Reaching the group stages of European competition was always the expectation, how long it had been simply spoke to how far Rangers fell with the liquidation.
Reaching the knockout rounds, however, in a group that is not an easy one, would be a monumental success for Rangers. They were a surprise to make the group stages, and to then advance would be incredible and even the most cynical observers would have to give Gerrard and the squad immense credit.
Then you look at the Premiership in Scotland.
Rangers have been on the edge of pulling away from the pack on several occasions, but have slipped up each time.
The schedule for Rangers is: @Dundee, Hamilton, @Hibernian, St Johnstone, Hibernian, and finally, a showdown with Celtic at Ibrox.
Leading up to the meeting of the Old Firm, all of those matches are ones Rangers should win. Dundee and Hamilton are very bad, Hibs are usually a solid side but have been poor this season. Their toughest match should be against St Johnstone at Ibrox.
Then of course to is the Old Firm to finish off.
With so many winnable matches, Rangers could have a great chance to really pull away in the table, if they could cap it off with a victory over Celtic, they could even start to pull away from Celtic. If they did that while qualifying for the knockout rounds, Rangers could officially be back.