RANGERS must win their William Hill Scottish Cup match with Championship side Morton at Ibrox on Sunday to stop their own fans turning on manager Mark Warburton and getting him the sack.

That was the prediction from Davie Provan last night as he looked ahead to a fifth round match which will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Warburton has come under intense scrutiny this month as his side has lost to Hearts away and drawn with Ross County at home and slipped to third in the Ladbrokes Premiership table.

Provan believes the failure to give Kenny Miller, who is out of contract in the summer, a new deal suggests the directors aren’t fully behind him. He reckons beating the fourth-placed club in the Championship and progressing to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup is vital to the Englishman’s hopes of surviving.

“It is a tricky game and the pressure is certainly building on him,” he said. “I think the Rangers board have got a decision to make.

“His recruitment in the summer was questionable to say the least. The Rangers board have to decide whether they are going to give him more money this summer or whether they are going to make the change.

“The silence from Dave King and the directors would be concerning for the manager.

“I am not saying he can’t turn it round. I think most supporters would have settled for second with European involvement again at the start of the season.

“But the board and the manager don’t seem to be on the same page.

“The Kenny Miller contract situation suggests that there might be a tension behind the scenes that we are not all privy to.

Provan added: “I remember an old Celtic director telling me many years ago that the board don’t sack a manager, the supporters sack the manager.

“I think if Rangers were to lose at the weekend the supporters would make their feelings pretty clear. He is now starting to lose the body of the kirk if you like and it could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”