I STILL expect Rangers to win the league this season but this afternoon we’ll get a clearer indication of whether Hibs have it in them to push them all the way or not. I’ll be at Easter Road covering the game for the BBC and I’m really looking forward to it. From a Ross County perspective, if we can keep our place in the Premiership then it also gives me a chance to see what we could be up against next season with Rangers, and maybe Hibs too, possibly coming up to join us. We could also get Hibs in the League Cup if they can beat Dundee United on Wednesday so it's always good to go and watch these teams in the flesh if you can.

It’s a meeting of two teams in form but something will have to give and it could end up being a fairly significant day in the title race. If Rangers can stretch their lead to 11 points then you would have to say that it would take some effort for Hibs or anyone else to claw that back. But if Hibs can win and get it back to five then it’s game on again.

Alan Stubbs and his players must have expected Rangers would have dropped points by now but they just keep rolling on. Eleven wins in a row is impressive in any division. But Hibs have done their part too by winning every game apart from one since losing at Ibrox in August. Today is their chance to let Rangers know that they aren’t going to go away. They need to send out a message that says, “If you want this title then you’re going to have to earn it”. If they can win and end Rangers’ unbeaten record then that will put a bit of pressure on Mark Warburton and his team. And then we will see just what both sides are made of over the rest of the season.

Rangers haven’t been playing as well as they did at the start of the campaign but they are still getting results. In the first few months they were absolutely flying, scoring a lot of goals and winning easily most weeks. Now teams aren’t letting them get the ball down and play, they are putting more pressure on them, and making it harder for them to dictate the tempo. So now Rangers are having to find another way to get it done. And so far they’ve shown good resolve and determination to keep winning, even if it’s not always been the silky soccer Warburton would prefer. They’ve had to grind out wins against Queen of the South and then St Mirren, and that shows they can play the other side of the game as well. Sometimes you just have to knuckle down and get a result however you can. And that can’t bode well for other teams if Rangers can keep winning even if they’re not playing that well.

It’s a big change from last season when the opposition realised Rangers were vulnerable if you went and attacked them. Now, though, with the way they’ve started the season other teams don’t have that same attitude any more. They’ve had to settle for just making it more difficult for Rangers, to try to deny them early goals and make them work harder for the points. They’re managing that to an extent but not enough to stop Rangers winning. And that’s something Hibs will have to try to overcome this afternoon. They have been really consistent themselves and it is maybe just unlucky for them that Rangers have been flying.

If Hibs are to have any chance of denying Rangers the title then they are probably going to have to beat them at least once this season and this afternoon is probably a good a chance as they’re going to get given they’re at home, they’re playing well, and Rangers haven’t been at their best. I still think, though, it will be a minor miracle if Hibs can beat them to the title. Alan Stubbs would deserve the freedom of Edinburgh if he pulls it off!

THERE has been no shortage of drama surrounding Celtic of late but it doesn’t seem to have affected their on-field performances. After the carry-on with Kris Commons in Molde they came back and thrashed Dundee United 5-0. And then when folk were wondering if the incident with Emilio Izaguirre and Nadir Ciftci would affect them before their League Cup tie at Tynecastle they went and won again. Ronny Deila doesn’t need these distractions but it’s to his credit that his team rebounded both times by winning their next match. That shows he’s someone who can keep things together during difficult times and that can only augur well for him in the future.