Several weeks have now passed since the events in Lithuania which saw the Ibrox club crash out of Europe just weeks after participating in the UEFA Cup final.

The Champions League qualifying defeat was a massive psychological blow before a ball had even been kicked in the domestic campaign.

Smith admits a meeting with their biggest rivals in the days following the shock result would have been too much for his shattered players to handle.

But, having recovered sufficiently to record SPL wins over Falkirk and Hearts - as well as a controversial point at Aberdeen - the Rangers boss insists everyone in the Ibrox dressing room is now relishing the trip to Celtic Park.

"We're happy to play the game," he said. "Had you asked me to play it immediately after Kaunas, we would haven't been.

"But we have recovered a bit and we are settling down. We have a tough start to the season with three away games from four. So, if we can manage to get a good result, it is a big bonus.

"Kaunas was as difficult an aftermath as I have had to handle, especially after the previous season. It was difficult to know how to approach it and handle it.

"Plus, we knew we would have to integrate new players. First-season changes are by far the easiest, the second year is more difficult and we are still in the process of integrating a few boys.

"But, obviously, we are in far better spirits than we were three weeks ago after Kaunas.

"It was a difficult period to get over but I hope we are over it and focusing on what we need to do.

"Going to Celtic Park - and it is not often you have three away in a row - is a big game."

Smith expects the four fixtures against Celtic to have a major influence in the destination of the title.

The championship was decided on the final day of last season, after all Old Firm derbies had gone in favour of the home side, and Smith knows how crucial a win this weekend could be for Rangers.

"You are in it to win," he said. "You are with every game - but there is importance.

"If you look at last season, both sides won their home games.

"From a Rangers point of view, if we can go to Celtic Park and take something from there, that would be looked upon as a good result considering we still have three to play with two of them at home.

"We used to play each other twice and now it has gone to four times. Four times is going to have an influence on a championship."