Walter Smith has been over the course plenty of times and will be invaluable in terms of lifting his players in time for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone, according to the Rangers assistant manager.

Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Parkhead allowed Celtic to move to within a point of their bitter rivals, who have two matches in hand over Gretna and Motherwell.

But McCoist insists Smith will be unruffled by his first Old Firm defeat since his return to Rangers 15 months ago and expects that attitude to filter down into the dressing room.

"The boys will naturally look to the manager now but he's gone the distance and he's been over the course on numerous occasions," said McCoist.

"It's a great thing to have him here. And I'll tell you another thing, had we won the game on Wednesday night the gaffer would have been the same afterwards as he was in defeat.

"It's a great talent and it's a great thing for the players to look at. If we win then fine, but if we lose then it's not a disaster.

"Walter wrote the book on that kind of thing."

Wins over Aberdeen, Rangers and Motherwell in their next three SPL matches would allow Celtic to move eight points clear, while Smith's men attempt to fulfil fixture requirements in three separate competitions.

"I wasn't aware that Celtic could go eight points clear albeit we would have four games in hand," said McCoist.

"I wasn't aware because I only look at the next game."

McCoist is well aware that Rangers' strength of character will be challenged after passing up the opportunity to all but kill off the title race but he insists his players have the bottle to cross the finish line.

"There will be questions levelled against us now, I'm aware of that," he said.

"As far as I'm concerned it's a question that must levelled at the players. This was always going to happen at some stage this season.

"So far the lads have answered all the questions and I don't have any doubts that they will keep on answering positively.

"There are a lot of strong characters in the dressing room and we'll need these strong characters that's for sure.

"But we've never said the league campaign was over. The league was never over, not at any stage.

"We have a cup game next but I have no doubts we'll bounce back. I see comparisons with the team I played in back in 1992.

"There is a real togetherness and there is a real team spirit. There are characters who just don't know when they're beaten and you learn more about yourself in defeat.

"I don't look at Wednesday night as a missed opportunity - all I am looking at is Sunday's game against St Johnstone.

"I've been disappointed after Old Firm games before but you dust yourself down and you get on with it."