Derek McInnes believes his Rangers side can win the Scottish Premiership title if they make a fast start to the season.

Rangers finished third last term, 10 points behind eventual champions Celtic, following a poor spell at the beginning of the campaign under Russell Martin.

Danny Rohl then took over and got Rangers back into the title race, but a run of four consecutive defeats in April and May saw them drop out of the running.

McInnes' former side, Hearts, lost out on the title in dramatic fashion, going down 3-1 to Celtic on the final day of the season.

Rangers start their new campaign on the road against Dundee United on Friday, and McInnes has emphasised the importance of a fast start to the season.

"It's important that we get off to a good start," McInnes told Sky Sports News. "We've not had that for a few seasons at Rangers, particularly that opening game.

"I do think trying to build confidence, build a bit of momentum, belief [is important], the fans are desperate to get behind something.

"We've got to earn that trust with performances we can eek out.

"If the team can get confidence as we go along, then I don't see any reason why we can't have that ambition to go and win a title this season."

Friday's game will be McInnes’ first in the league as Rangers manager. The last manager to lose their first top-flight match in charge of the club was Graeme Murty in February 2017 (1-2 versus Dundee), with 11 Gers bosses avoiding defeat in their first game since then (W8 D3).

McInnes has only lost one of his last 15 Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W8 D6), a 0-4 defeat with Kilmarnock in November 2022.