FILIP HELANDER is confident the competition within the Rangers squad will drive the champions on to further success this season.

The Swede was an integral part of Steven Gerrard's squad last term as Rangers completed an unbeaten league campaign and clinched the Premiership title in emphatic fashion.

A remarkable clean sheet record that saw Gerrard's side concede just 13 league goals was the foundation for that success as Rangers also impressed in the Europa League once again.

Now Helander is determined to strive for further improvement ahead of the first Premiership match of the new campaign at home to Livingston tomorrow afternoon.

Helander said: “Of course the new players have come in and they are here to help us improve the team.

"I’m sure they will. We are all happy to have them here.

“I try to not set too many personal goals, but I would say it’s just about trying to win the league again and then we’ll have to perform better in the two cups and hopefully get some European success as well.

“That’s mainly my focus. As an individual you want to play as much as possible.

“That would be good [if we could replicate the clean sheet record]. That’s something we take a lot of pride in, trying to keep clean sheets every week.

“It’s all about when everyone is working for each other and we have a good defensive structure.

“From starting with the strikers and that is something we can’t be relaxed about. We have to go out and do it again, and even try to improve certain areas.

“If you don’t want competition you can go and play for an inferior club. We all want to be here and we all want to play.

“You have to be ready to compete and that’s what all the players here enjoy.

“When it comes to the games, everyone wants to play and that’s how it’s supposed to be.”