PSV Eindhoven v Rangers: Walter Smith prepared for tough match

Rangers boss Walter Smith believes PSV Eindhoven will prove a tougher test than Sporting Lisbon as his side look to progress in the Europa League.

The Ibrox side needed an injury-time goal from Maurice Edu to beat Sporting on away goals in the last round and Smith is under no illusions about the size of the task his players face against the Dutch league leaders in Holland tomorrow night.

Kyle Lafferty looks set to be fit for tomorrow night's match, but Vladimir Weiss remains "doubtful", Smith said.

He said: "I feel that this will be a tougher game because the circumstances surrounding the clubs are different.

"PSV are certainly steadier and they are on a good run of form at the moment and are top of the league.

"Sporting Lisbon had one or two problems to overcome off the field so we would expect a far more difficult match this time around than in the previous round.

• Rangers in Europe: The season so far in pictures

"This season, along with FC Twente, PSV have been the steadiest of the Dutch teams, looking from the outside.

"They look as though they are having a season where they are more than capable of winning the championship.

"They have a decent physical presence in their team, they play a good level of football. They like to get the ball forward in a fairly aggressive manner and overall this season they have an opportunity in front of them to be very successful."

In what could prove to be his last European away match as manger, Smith highlighted the importance of returning to Ibrox with an away goal, saying Rangers' cause has been boosted by the return of Kyle Lafferty.

Smith added: "In the European games, trying to get a goal away from home has a big influence on how the games are played.

"We would hope to do that; we managed to get two in Lisbon so hopefully we can do enough in tomorrow night's game to try and get a goal here.

"To get a forward back is a big thing for us. Lafferty can play in the wider areas and through the middle and from our point of view it's important to get some players back.

"Hopefully he can get his tonsils removed at the end of the season and the course of antibiotics allows him to play on until then.

"Vladimir Weiss is slightly different, it's awkward for a footballer to have a bruised foot. It was giving him a fair bit of discomfort yesterday so I would put him in the doubtful category."

Read more preview coverage of the Europa League match in The Scotsman tomorrow