Derek McInnes told what he must do to avoid Rangers sack already

Derek McInnes is already facing sack pressure at Rangers after an awful start to the season.

The Gers plucked McInnes from Hearts at the start of the summer after Danny Rohl departed Ibrox for RB Salzburg.

McInnes' appointment was largely supported, with a school of thought that Rangers needed someone with knowledge of the Scottish Premiership.

He has been backed in the transfer market too, with Rangers making 12 signings so far and still in the hunt for more bodies.

But Rangers failed to win either of their two opening Scottish Premiership fixtures, and were a total shambles in Europe.

After being knocked out of Europa League qualifying by Jagiellonia Bialystok, they failed to get past Jablonec in the Conference League play-offs, leaving McInnes under severe pressure.

Derek McInnes told the only way to save his Rangers job

Rangers simply have to stop the merry-go-round of managers at Ibrox.

Having said that, the pressure to succeed at Ibrox is made abundantly clear to any manager who takes on the hotseat.

And frankly, the failure to secure any European football at all this season is an utter embarrassment, and something that McInnes must take accountability for.

Indeed, Hugh Keevins - writing for the Daily Record - believes that given there is no distraction in Europe, McInnes has only one way to save his job.

And that is by ensuring Rangers win the Scottish Premiership this season ahead of rivals Celtic.

He wrote: "If Derek McInnes should see out the season as Rangers’ manager, and it’s too early to be definitive on that subject, he has to win the Premiership title in order to keep his job."

Keevins later added: "There is a school of thought, of course, that being spared European fixture congestion strengthens Rangers’ bid to win the domestic title.

"That had better be the case or else McInnes will be unemployed between now and next May."

Is Derek McInnes sack talk at Rangers justified?

McInnes' Rangers tenure is only seven games old.

In most scenarios, speaking of the sack already would feel a little premature, especially given the huge recruitment drive.

But Rangers is no ordinary club is it? The demands are high, the need to bring success is made perfectly clear.

McInnes has a huge emotional tie to Rangers, and there is a desperation for him to succeed in the role.

But, unfortunately, emotion does not gloss over poor performance and boy have Rangers been poor at the start of this season.

Failure to defeat Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday will only add to the pressure, so McInnes will be perfectly aware that three points is a must this afternoon.