The momentum has been halted and the run has been ended. Now another must begin if Rangers are to prove they are potential champions rather than hopeful challengers.

Defeat to Celtic on Sunday did not entrench either of those positions. A win would not have, either, and even a game as significant as the Old Firm fixture must be taken in context of the bigger picture rather than the derby snapshot.

It was not a blow from which Rangers cannot recover but it was a damaging one nonetheless. The most important factor now for Philippe Clement’s side is that it is not compounded as attentions turn to the visit of Kilmarnock on Tuesday afternoon in what is the final outing before a well-earned and much-needed Premiership hiatus.

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Rangers will not be heading into the shutdown in pole position in the title race. They are very much in the running for the trophy, though, and Scott Wright believes Clement’s side are on the right track after a derby duel that left Rangers down but not out.

"It's a disappointing result for us but we just need to make sure we bounce back and go into the next game and try build that momentum again,” Wright said. "We created plenty of chances out there but games like this are always about moments.

"We just need to try to take the chances we created but it's fine margins. It didn't go our way on Saturday but we dust ourselves off and go again. The boys are disappointed but now we need to fight for the three points on Tuesday.

"We are definitely growing as a team. The manager wants the fans to have a team to be proud of. It's a case of trying to build on what we have been building.

"The January break will give us more time to get on the training pitch with the manager and you will probably see more of a picture of what he wants to see. The extra time will be important. You can see his ideas through the games but it's tough because we have so many. The break will be big for us as a team and we want to get a team he wants to see out on the pitch.”

The situation that Clement inherited when he was appointed as Michael Beale’s successor in October was somewhat bleak. A couple of months on, he has injected confidence into his squad and belief into his support and those respective levels must not be allowed to drop despite the agony of Old Firm defeat.

The 49-year-old has immersed himself in the club in recent weeks. His first taste of the famous fixture would have been soured by the result but Clement pointed to positives within the performance as he assessed an afternoon where Rangers found themselves on the wrong side of the fine margins. Those views were shared within the group.

"Yeah,” Wright said when asked if the title race was alive. “For us, the title race is just about the next game and trying to get three points. We have got ourselves in this position by fighting for the next three points and focusing on each game.

"That is how we got here and that is how we will continue to go forward. We will continue to fight for the three points in every game. It was a disappointing result for us but we will go again.

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"This game brings that [fiery side] out in everyone. That is what you want to see. He's a very passionate manager.

"You will see the cool side of him, but we see the passion behind the curtain. He is fantastic to work for and we are all looking forward to the future.

"Do we like to see that passion? Yeah, absolutely. It's his team out there and he is at the forefront of that. He can't be on the pitch but he will do as much as he can to help us out there.”