KRIS BOYD today predicted Rangers boss Ally McCoist faces a nightmare task picking his front line for the Ibrox club's forthcoming fixtures.

But the prolific striker reckons that will ensure his side keep on netting and maintain the pressure on SPFL Championship leaders Hearts.

Boyd has played up front alongside Nicky Clark for the Gers in their last four competitive matches - with explosive results.

The League One champions have won all four of those games - banging in no fewer than 18 GOALS in the process.

However, Clark was only given the nod to lead the attack in tandem with the summer signing due to Kenny Miller being out injured.

And former Scotland internationalist Miller made his comeback in the 4-2 triumph over league rivals Queen of the South nine days ago.

The 35-year-old came off the replacements' bench against the Palmerston Park club - and promptly netted a well-taken late effort.

Who will take to the field when Rangers resume league duties against Raith Rovers away at Stark's Park on Friday night is anybody's guess.

But Boyd, now 31 and in his second spell at his boyhood heroes, reckons that is exactly how it should be at the Glasgow giants.

He vied for a place in the starting line-up with the likes of Daniel Cousin, Peter Lovenkrands, Nacho Novo and Dado Prso in his previous stint in Govan.

And he believes having himself, Clark, Miller and, when he is available for selection again, Jon Daly fighting for a game is a healthy situation for Rangers to have.

"It is a good problem for the manager," said Boyd. "You want competition for places.

"When you are at a club of this size that should always be the case.

"It is up to each of us to perform when we get a chance and make the sure the manager keeps us in the team.

"It is a long hard season and I'm sure that all of us in the squad will get a chance to show what we are capable of at some stage.

"But, at the end of the day, as a professional footballer you want to be playing every week and you will work hard in training and in games to make that happen.

"As a striker, you always want to be playing, want to be scoring goals, want to be helping your team-mates to win games. But it is not always possible.

"It will be interesting to see who the manager picks as there are a lot of good players who want to be involved every week."

Boyd has struck up an excellent understanding with Clark in the final third in the absence of his old strike partner Miller in the last few weeks.

The man who joined from Kilmarnock on a free transfer during the close season scored five goals in the cup games against Clyde and Queen's Park.

His young understudy, meanwhile, netted from an acute angle against Falkirk and then once again from close range against Dumbarton last month.

THE 23-year-old often failed to impress in the third tier during the 2013/14 campaign and failed to break into double figures with his goal tally.

But previously sceptical Light Blues supporters have certainly changed their opinion of the frontman in the last few weeks.

His eye for goal, clever running and tireless workrate have won him a host of new admirers - and Boyd is certainly among them.

He knows how hard it can be to perform at such a major club and believes Clark will only improve further as the bid to land silverware intensifies in the weeks ahead.

"Nicky has done really well in recent weeks," he said. "A couple of seasons ago he banged in more than 40 goals for Queen of the South. It is easy to see why.

"It was a big step up for him to come here to this club last season and he also had a few injuries to contend with. It was not easy for him.

"Yet, I think you can see now that he is maturing into a really, really good striker. He is getting into good scoring positions, he is getting shots away, he is linking up well with his team-mates and he is also hitting the target.

"He is only a young guy. He is still learning the game in many respects. I am sure he will just get better and better as the season progresses.

"It has been good for him to get a run in the team while Kenny has been out and he has shown what he can do. He has given the manager food for thought."

And Boyd is not forgetting about Daly, who finished top goalscorer last season as Rangers went undefeated in League One, either.

The experienced Irishman underwent an operation on a knee injury back in July - but he has returned to training at Murray Park and is getting stronger every day.

His team-mate watched him on several occasions last term while he was working as a television pundit and was hugely impressed with his qualities and play.

He said: "Big Jon is to come back into the fray soon and he offers us something else in attack. So there will be some stiff competition for places.

"It is up to all of the strikers to stay on their toes and keep scoring."