STEVEN GERRARD is confident Rangers can maintain their momentum in the second half of the campaign and avoid the kind of drop-off that dented their two previous title bids.

The Light Blues host Celtic in the second Old Firm fixture of the season on Saturday knowing that victory will take them 19 points clear of Celtic - who will still have three games in hand this term.

Rangers have won this fixture in the last two years but have failed to build on either victory as Neil Lennon's side have won both Premiership titles.

And Gerrard knows the Gers can't afford to make the same mistake for a third time after an unbeaten league run that has raised standards and expectation levels in recent months.

Gerrard said: "We've had success in this fixture in the previous two seasons and haven't really gone and built on that - that's there in black and white.

"It's different this season with no winter break but the fixtures don't change. Hopefully we can get a result that continues our rhythm.

"But people make an awful lot of winter breaks and Dubai but for me it's a load of nonsense.

"The reality is we haven't really been the best version of ourselves from the turn of the new year in both seasons, that's the reality of it - and using Dubai or the winter break as an excuse is an easy way out for us.

"We're very much focused on each fixture as and when it comes and they're no bigger than this one.

"We could not ask to be going into this game in a better place.

"Certainly from a league point of view our form has been superb. We've been consistent, we've been hungry.

"We've got one or two injuries but we won't use that as an excuse. We've come through St Mirren unscathed and we're really excited for the fixture."