He vowed: "We will never give up hope. We must now win both home games against Rangers. In fact, we have to win all the remaining cup finals we face in the league this season. We will try our best to make it happen."

The playmaker, who picked up a foot injury during a typically bruising encounter, identified a lack of clinical finishing as the biggest concern.

He said: "The first half was much better from us after recent games at Ibrox because we created a few good opportunities. But we didn't take them. It was hard for us that Rangers only had one chance and they scored. When it comes down to it, though, that's what counts - one chance, one goal.

"I wanted to pass the ball more and create more chances in that way but this game is always a physical battle. Because of that, we played the long ball most of the time - and my idea was to wait, to try to make the most of the second ball and pick up the scraps. But we weren't able to create many chances in the second half.

"Gordon Strachan said to me after the game that I hadn't played badly, so I think that is why he kept faith with me for the 90 minutes. Now I have to see what the doctors say because I picked up a foot injury. It's sore at the moment but I don't know exactly what the problem is or if it will stop me training."