Rangers manager Walter Smith expected nothing less than a nerve-jangling finale to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season despite Celtic being written off as early as March.

Many fans thought the title was in the bag when Rangers won their fourth Old Firm derby on the trot.

Smith's men moved six points clear with one game in hand with that win but they go into Wednesday night's Ibrox clash against third-placed Motherwell knowing that defeat would take the destiny of the championship out of their hands.

While Celtic bounced back from that Ibrox loss, Rangers have dropped 10 points in their last four SPL games, including two defeats at Parkhead.

But Smith is not feeling the heat after Celtic turned the tables, with the help of Rangers' cup exploits, to move seven points ahead.

Smith, in the first full season back at Ibrox, is pleased to be in with a chance of stopping Celtic winning their sixth title in eight years.

And the 60-year-old is well aware the two recent SPL triumphs Rangers secured went to the final few minutes of the season.

"Celtic have performed consistently well over the last couple of seasons, to their credit," Smith said.

"Nobody here would ever have expected that this season would have been any different.

"If you look back at the championships that Celtic have lost recently, they have all been late in the season. They have managed to win the last two fairly comfortably.

"So, we are getting back to a situation where we are putting up a better challenge.

"This season, if you said to me with four or five games to go we would be challenging for the championship, I would accept that. I would have thought that would have been a good season for us.

"So we have to keep that in mind, but we also know that not only are we making a good challenge, we have the opportunity to win the championship if we can win our remaining games."

While Celtic have just two games remaining, Rangers have five SPL games on top of both the UEFA and Scottish cup finals.

And Smith feels the European race could have an impact on the title race.

Motherwell come to Ibrox with a one-point lead over Dundee United and Hibernian, while Aberdeen have put themselves back in the frame.

The Gers could only draw at Hibs on Sunday and face United on Saturday in another vital encounter for both sides.

"All the clubs in the top six, including Aberdeen, are now involved in a fight for a European place, so there is something to play for for all the teams," Smith added.

"I think our next two home games both sides, under Mark McGhee and Craig Levein, have made enormous strides this season the way they play, both games will be extremely tough.

"The Motherwell one especially. Mark has made a terrific impression on Motherwell, not only an upturn in results but also their mentality, the way they go about their game.

"So we know we are going to get a really tough game. Games against them this season have been hard, we expect nothing less again.

"We know now we have to win the majority of our league games as well, they are all important games."

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