Rangers visit Celtic Park on Sunday hoping to show that they can compete with the Hoops, having fallen to three defeats in three matches against Brendan Rodgers' side this season so far.

It's not an easy task after what has been a difficult month for the club following the departure of Mark Warburton.

U20s coach Graeme Murty has been tasked with leading the side through this period and although the Ibrox club continue their recruitment drive for a first team manager and director of football, it appears Murty will again be the man in the dugout this weekend.

So do Rangers have any hope of a victory? A look at the form book would suggest no. Celtic haven't lost a single domestic game this season and have won every single one of their matches against Scottish teams since September.

However, it's not all doom and gloom and Gers fans will still be clinging to a slight glimmer of hope heading into Sunday's match.

Here are THREE reasons why you can't completely dismiss Rangers ahead of the derby...

The first half hour at Ibrox

When Celtic travelled to Ibrox on Hogmanay, it was the first time they'd set foot in the blue cauldron for close to five years. After half an hour they realised that it was as formidable an arena as ever. Rangers showed glimpses of a team that could compete with the Scottish champions that day, rushing to 1-0 lead that in truth could have been added to.

The Hoops ultimately clicked into gear and showed the qualities that have seen them dominate Scottish football all season but it was a reminder that, in the unique atmosphere of this derby, Celtic can be vulnerable.

If Rangers can reproduce that sort of swagger, attitude and combative performance at Celtic Park on Sunday then it may not be as easy as some people think for Brendan Rodgers men to win.

It's an uphill battle for sure, but it's one that can be a battle instead of a one-sided mauling.

The dawn of a new era

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The departure of Mark Warburton was acrimonious and, in the short-term, unsettling but for their long-term aims it was probably a necessary step. Results seemed to be getting worse and worse as the season wore on and his recruitment of players wasn't exactly top notch.

According to The Scottish Sun, the new manager, thought to be Pedro Caixinha will be unveiled before the derby takes place, giving the entire squad and support a huge boost before he takes the reins of training and team selection next week.

We've seen on plenty occasions in football in the past that the transition from era to era can bring about out of the ordinary performances from teams and Rangers supporters will certainly be hoping the XI on the pitch on Sunday can tap into this new feeling of optimism.

Surely the team picked will be going all out to impress the incoming manager and what better stage to make yourself a Rangers hero than at Celtic Park?

Two wins in a row, is it enough?

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Barry McKay celebrates with James Tavernier after scoring the second goal for Rangers  
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It's true that results in 2017 have been fairly dreadful for Rangers but the last 10 days or so have actually been pretty good by anyone's standards.

Down to ten men and drawing at home to St Johnstone, it looked like it would be another one of those nights last Wednesday but an Emerson Hyndman stoppage time winner gave them a huge three points and a confidence boosting victory.

They followed that up with an absolutely excellent win against a Hamilton side that had beaten Aberdeen earlier that week. They thrashed the Accies 6-0 and showed a clinical edge in front of goal that we haven't seen from the Ibrox side in ages.

Are they peaking at the perfect time ahead of their trip to Celtic Park? Is the momentum they're building enough to go up against the Celtic juggernaut?

What's clear is that Graeme Murty has done well to salvage some sort of positivity from recent fixtures heading into the derby. Had things gone differently in recent matches then they could have been heading across the city at their lowest ebb of the season.