THE Old Firm always dip in and out of crises. As Celtic stumbled at Easter Road yesterday, Rangers made sure they were in perfect position to reduce the gap that some hailed as insurmountable.

A week that began with the Ibrox side muttering about not being able to drop any more points for fear of buckling their title aspirations ended with them rediscovering their appetite for the fight.

A 7-1 victory, three points, but so much more than that.

Walter Smith's side have closed the chasm at the top to four points - with an Ibrox staged Old Firm game at the end of this month to look forward to - but they are also in a position now where their goal difference is easy on the eye. Worth a shot on left wing at Tannadice? NOVO Says DARRELL KING It is the real problem position at Ibrox, with half a dozen players all been used on the left of midfield at some stage so far.

And, as he heads to bogey venue Tannadice for what is a must-win match, Walter Smith has again to decide who gets the nod.

The rest of his team - if they all remain fit this week - more or less picks itself and there will be a guaranteed midfield three of Barry Ferguson, Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis - plus ANO.

DaMarcus Beasley got a chance at the weekend and didn't really grasp it, young Spaniard Aaron creating more in a cameo appearance than the USA star.

Smith is unlikely to keep him in against the powerful Tangerines, and could call upon Kyle Lafferty or Charlie Adam again.

But, for me, Nacho Novo should get a run there.

It's not his favoured role, but he plays it better than the rest right now.

The Spaniard will work his shift, has pace on the break and is good for a goal - he should be in for what is a pivotal match. AARON Says ALISON McCONNELL When it comes to the left-hand side of midfield, Walter Smith has been left scratching his head this season.

The Rangers manager has had various personnel deployed in the role, with DaMarcus Beasley the latest player on Saturday to be given the starting jersey there.

However, the USA international looked uncomfortable and couldn't give Rangers the width they have craved in various games this season. Ultimately it didn't matter given the scoreline, but Beasley didn't do enough to suggest he can command a regular start out on the left.

However, Spanish youngster Aaron came on for the closing stages and Smith could do worse than give the player a crack at it. The game was well won by the time he arrived, but he still managed to put in a cross that led to a goal - more than Beasley done for the 79 minutes he was on the park - and the Ibrox fans were keen to get a look at the kid who arrived with a star billing this summer.

Since Smith has already combed the options available to him, Aaron is a decent alternative that looks ready to be tested.

Courtesy of the manner in which they walloped poor Hamilton Accies and added to Celtic's uncharacteristic profligacy in Edinburgh, Rangers now have a better goal difference by five and, interestingly, have scored two more goals than their Old Firm rivals so far this season.

For all that Kenny Miller still looks as though he will miss more than he'll score, his presence alongside Kris Boyd seems to bring out the best in the sullen forward.

Boyd took his tally for the season to 17 goals at the weekend with a hat-trick while Miller hit the opener, and keeping this partnership injury and suspension-free could be the key to Gers sustaining their title charge.

Certainly, Smith seems to believe that the duo are the best he has available to him at the minute.

Boyd was left kicking his heels the last time Rangers went toe-to-toe with Celtic back in August, but on this form it would be nigh on impossible to imagine the Ibrox boss overlooking him for what is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal contests of the season on December 27.

"The two of them have been doing exceptionally well together and they have the makings of a good partnership," said Smith.

"The quality of their goals on Saturday were good. Kenny had a terrific finish and Kris's first finish was terrific as well and that allowed us to then go on and play some good stuff."

Yet, while Smith was right to be upbeat about a weekend in which there was plenty for him to cheer, he is still troubled by a few worrying aspects of Rangers' play.

It seems churlish to point out on the back of a 7-1 mauling that there were deficiencies apparent in the Ibrox side, but the unease of Madjid Bougherra and David Weir was troublesome at times.

Hamilton striker Joel Thomas lacks the finesse of some of his SPL colleagues, but he asked questions of the duo simply by his willingness to get the head down and run at them.

Had he been rewarded for one of those runs with a penalty and when the teams were level at 1-1, it might have been a different outcome.

Certainly, the fact that Rangers appear to be in healthier feckle now than what they were a week ago shouldn't draw a veil over some of their shortcomings, as Smith acknowledged afterwards.

The problems for Rangers have never been at Ibrox but rather on the road and next weekend they face a Craig Levein-inspired Dundee United at Tannadice. It is here that Smith's side will be asked further questions about just how ready they are for a scrap.

United have already held both halves of the Old Firm to draws this season and will feel confident of upsetting the apple cart again next weekend.

And, if anything has disrupted Rangers' fluency this season, it has been the inability to sustain a decent run of results.

"I'd put up a good argument to anyone that we match Celtic for quality but where we have fallen short is not matching their consistency," he said.

"We've a couple of big matches coming up and we want to go into them in this kind of form.

"The inconsistency we have shown is difficult to answer.

"The team are frustrating at times because they are more than capable of playing good football, but there has been lapses and it has caused the management a certain amount of frustration this season."

Kirk Broadfoot was left on the bench on Saturday for the first time this season but Smith revealed he has no concern that the defender was letting his standards slip.

"It's nothing to do with giving him a warning or anything like that," he said. "No-one puts more into the game than Kirk does but sometimes we feel we have to remember where he has come from in just a year or so. It sometimes affects him a little bit, as it did at the end of last season.

"We gave him a few days off from training to freshen him up and that was the reason for that."