Steven Davis aims to make more net gains for Rangers

The Northern Irishman has been on the scoresheet for his country twice this term but has found the back of the net just once for the champions so far this season.

His solitary strike came against the Dons in a 2-0 win at Ibrox earlier in the campaign and he knows he needs to weigh in with a bigger contribution.

Davis said: “It’s always something you try to practise in training and work on. It hasn’t really happened for me in terms of this season and getting in the box and getting goals. But hopefully there’s still plenty of time between now and the end of the season to chip in with a few. It’s always important as midfielders to do that and spread the goals throughout the team and not rely too heavily on certain people.”

Davis also expects a big effort from Sone Aluko as he prepares to face his former club tomorrow. The winger quit Pittodrie when his contract expired in the summer and has impressed since joining Rangers in November. Stand-in skipper Davis said: “He came in on trial before we signed him officially and he looked sharp already but you can see with each game that comes that he is looking even brighter in games. He’s been a big signing for us and a great player who has come in and given everybody a lift and a freshness about the place. He has settled in really well and I’m sure he will be looking forward to the game on Saturday.

“He has brought something to the team that maybe we were missing, especially with Naisy [Steven Naismith] out injured.

“He’s quite direct in terms of his play and he can beat a player and that’s something we have maybe been missing. I’m delighted he has come in.

“He will be looking forward to the game. Any player coming up against their old team wants to do well against them and he’ll be no different.”

Davis is tipped for the captain’s armband on a permanent basis when the outgoing David Weir brings down the curtain on his Rangers career this weekend.

And the midfielder has urged the team to once again make Ibrox a venue feared by their opponents, after dropping points at home to Hearts, St Mirren and St Johnstone this season. He said: “It’s been a strange one this season in terms of our home form. It’s been a little bit stuttery at times. It’s important to get back to winning ways and try to make our home a fortress again and for teams to fear coming to Ibrox. Hopefully we can do that and put a good run of results together between now and the end of the season.”

On the visit of Aberdeen, Davis added: “I think they have only lost one in the last eight so that says they are moving in the right direction.

“There’s always a good rivalry between ourselves and Aberdeen. Like any other team, they always raise their game against ourselves and Celtic and we will expect no different again. But it’s an important match for us and one we hope to pick up another three points from.”

Meanwhile, Rangers have confirmed John Fleck has joined Blackpool on loan until the end of the season. The midfielder, 20, has made the switch to the Championship side in search of first-team action following limited appearances this season.

He has featured just five times so far, with his only start coming against Arbroath in the Scottish Cup earlier this month. Fleck was set to join Sheffield United on loan in August, along with Ibrox team-mate Kyle Hutton, but the moves fell through due to an error with the paperwork.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist recently said a loan move for Fleck appeared unlikely after Kyle Lafferty was ruled out for a number of weeks through injury. However, Rangers have now sanctioned the move to Blackpool, where he joins forces with former Rangers players Barry Ferguson and Danny Wilson.