Dundee Utd v Rangers

Rangers' outgoing manager, Walter Smith, held his last pre-league game press conference at Ibrox yesterday and he did so knowing that, no matter what his team can do tomorrow against Dundee United at Tannadice, the outcome of the championship race is in the hands of Celtic.

Having been resigned to that fact since the weekend, he admitted yesterday: ''As far as we are concerned, all we can do is travel up to Tannadice and hope that we can win the game. But, even if we do that, then we have to hope that Celtic drop points at Parkhead.

''It is as simple as that and everyone knows it. I don't have to spell that out to the players. All our lads are experienced enough to know what they must do if we are to have a chance of taking the title.

''The major disappointment is that, after pulling ourselves level with Celtic four games ago, we have now dropped two points behind because we lost two of our three games from that day. That is the inconsistency which has followed us all through the season.

''Tomorrow I hope that we can find the form we have displayed on occasions and get the result we require. But we all know that even that may not be enough.''

Smith admitted to frustration over the manner in which his players have performed in certain games, the frustration that saw them in Dundee last night preparing for a game where even victory is not sure to give them the tenth successive championship their fans want so desperately.

The Swedish internationalist, Jonas Thern, who had begun to assert himself in the Ibrox midfield until being injured in the league win at Tynecastle, and Scotland World Cup goalkeeper Andy Goram, will still be missing from the team.

Both players, however, have the chance of playing in the Scottish Cup final at Parkhead next week-end against Hearts. Smith hopes to have them training at the start of next week and that would be enough to push them into the last game of this Rangers era.

It was at Tannadice last season that Rangers clinched their ninth title, but this time they do not have complete control over events. They recognise that they are fortunate enough to still have the opportunity to win the title but are realistic enough to know that Celtic remain favourites.

Smith said: ''We just have to go to Tannadice and look to win the game and then wait to see what happens elsewhere. We go with the same squad we had on duty last weekend, but I won't be naming a team until we get up there and take a look at how everything is.''

One thing Smith can be certain about is the challenge that will await his team from his former club. United won their own battle last week with that 2-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, making sure that the Edinburgh club will be in the first division next season while Tommy McLean's men will be in the new-look Premier League.

That, though, does not seem to have diluted their competitive edge for today's game. Their Dutch goalkeeper, Sieb Dykstra, insisted yesterday: ''We are ready for the Rangers game and we shall be fully committed.

''We owe that to our supporters, who have backed us through thick and thin all the way through this season. They gave us tremendous support at Easter Road last week, even when we were behind, and now I think that we have to repay them.

''It would be good if we could send them off into the close season with a last-match win. That would be some consolation for them.''

Then Dykstra added: ''Celtic are favourites and we know that, but the pressure has been huge for the players, especially as this is the first time for most of them in this kind of situation. They will go out knowing that they must win to take the title.

''The pressure has got to them over the past six weeks and, while Rangers have not been as good as they were in other seasons, they still have a chance because Celtic have faltered.''

United will be without Erik Pedersen, one of the players who has been more successful than others in man-marking Brian Laudrup, who is suspended, while manager Tommy McLean has worries over injured defenders Mark Perry and Steven Pressley. Utility player Sigi Johnsson has gone down with a throat infection.

He believes that only one of these doubtul players will be ready but points out: ''We have beaten Rangers here at Tannadice this season, as well as at Ibrox, and it would give our support a lift if we could do that again. This is a great platform for us and a win would be a nice end to a season which has brought us too many worries.''

Any conspiracy theories that may yet be lurking around in a season that has been filled with too many of them, were kicked abruptly into touch by United captain Maurice Malpas, who admitted: ''I owe a lot to Walter Smith - and to Gordon Wallace, who is still here at the club - for the hours of coaching work they put in on me when I was a young player. But that does not matter when we play each other.

''I want to win and, if that means I get a mouthful from Walter afterwards, that is part of the game. It is the only way you can approach things.

''Friendship does not count when you are in opposition. We are only interested in pleasing our supporters tomorrow.''

Rangers, as Celtic's Wim Jansen said yesterday, would appear to be favourites to win the game. However, that does not look like being enough in a season when they have had the championship trophy almost handed back to them and then slipped up themselves, just as their Old Firm rivals have done.

Smith will rely, again, on his old guard, hoping that they can find the cutting edge of yesteryear to at least give the fans a winning end to the season.

BOOKIES' VIEW: Dundee United - 11-2, Rangers - 1-2, Draw - 100-30.