Emmanuel Fernandez: Rangers defender believes European exit could give advantage over Celtic and Hearts in title bid

The Ibrox side were knocked out of the Europa League and Conference League qualifiers early in the season as new boss Derek McInnes tried to build a new squad.

Since then, form has turned around, and seven consecutive wins have left them in second place, plus in the League Cup semi-final, where they will play Aberdeen at Hampden.

While league leaders Celtic play Benfica in the Europa League in Lisbon and third-place Hearts host Nordsjaelland in the Conference League on Thursday, the Govan side have had a free week to prepare for the trip to Dundee on Saturday night - live on Sky Sports .

Rangers could go back to the top of the table with a win, albeit the Hoops can reclaim that spot for a second successive week on Sunday when Hearts visit Parkhead - also live on Sky Sports .

Asked if the lack of European football might help domestically, the 25-year-old centre-back told Sky Sports News : "100 per cent, because less games ultimately means less injuries and more time to be ready for the weekend, I guess.

"I feel like, as a group, we can probably get closer together, understand each other more.

"As we know, there were a lot of new signings throughout the window, and, obviously we're past that now, and I feel like there's more connection that can be built for our training and playing together, so obviously, it could be a benefit for us.

"But I still think we need to go into games with the same focus, knowing that we have a week off, and some people might have a few days, but we still need to be at it, and ready to go."

Fernandez, who joined Rangers from Peterborough last July, admits that he had a "shaky" start to the season.

However, the Nigeria international is enjoying a return to form, helped by the growing relationship with Olwethu Makhanya - the 22-year-old South African centre-back who signed from MLS side Philadelphia Union in the summer, and who won the Scottish Premiership player of the month award for September.

Fernandez said: "Obviously, [my form was] a bit shaky at the beginning, but I feel like I'm getting back into my groove.

"I still think there's more to come, similar performances towards last season, but they'll all come in due time.

"I think he [Makhanya] is amazing. I know when I came in and played last season, how hard it was to settle.

"I feel like that's why having certain team-mates around you can help you settle quicker and help you get into games easier and help you just perform the way you want to perform and not think about the noise.

"It's been a bit of a turbulent journey [for the team this season].

"At the beginning of the season, we didn't start off at our best, but I feel like we've got into our groove a bit and getting the results that we need.

"But I still think the team knows that we can still give more.

"There are games that we know we can still score more goals and limit the amount of [opposition] chances.

"Obviously, we've just come back from the international break, we've got five games before the next one, and we've got performances to put in."

Fernandez admits he was annoyed at losing the late goal in the 3-1 win against Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday, which prevented a sixth clean sheet in seven games.

He said: "That would have been a sixth clean sheet or something along those lines and you go into that next game with a major boost.

"Obviously, teams always look at ways to score against you in different scenarios, so conceding a goal gives another team a chance to think they can score a goal.

"To keep that many clean sheets in a row, and to get that many wins with limiting the amount of goals [conceded] is amazing, but I still think there's improvements to be made.

"I still think that we can concede the least goals in the league. That's something we're going to be striving to do and get better on the training pitch every day."