As a chunk of the Rangers squad prepares for international duty, the fanbase can be reasonably satisfied with the run of results since the previous international break.

Only the draw at Dens Park can be considered a genuine blemish on a record that remains unbeaten in the league since their solitary defeat by Hibernian at Ibrox in August.

By Derek McInnes' own admission, performances have not been perfect, but crucially, as he also likes to underline, the team has continued, for the most part, to win games and stay within touching distance of a Celtic side that is certainly not firing on all cylinders.

If Rangers can continue to pick up points at a similar rate, they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

On their return, they face a potentially tricky game at Fir Park. This will mean they have played eight away from home and just five at Ibrox, but the balance will then be redressed within a week, with visits from Aberdeen, Falkirk and Dundee United.

None of those four games feel like gimmes for Rangers right now, but they are all winnable, and a title-winning side would probably take 12 points from 12.

The actual outcomes will be instructive as to Rangers' true pedigree, and McInnes will hope victories come with continued improvements in performance and, crucially, a more clinical edge in front of goal.

They generally look sound at the back - the best defensive record in the league is testament to that - and even when there are occasional slip-ups, the recovery pace of Manny Fernandez and Olwethu Makhanya, allied to the reliability of Ivor Pandur behind them, tends to keep the opposition at bay.

If Rangers can bury a few more chances on a more regular basis, they will be a force to be reckoned with.