EMERSON Hyndman only featured in three first team games for Bournemouth this season before he joined Rangers on loan, but two of those outings came in cup upsets at the hands of lesser opposition.

The American midfielder, who is hoping to play when his new club take on Motherwell in the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup at Ibrox this afternoon, has no intention of being involved in a third.

Hyndman was unable to prevent his Premier League club from being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Championship opponents Preston North End after extra-time in the third round back in September.

His next match for Eddie Howe’s side in the FA Cup didn’t go any better as they lost to second-tier rivals once again. Millwall ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in another third-round tie at The Den earlier this month.

The 20-year-old was at pains yesterday to point out that there were extenuating circumstances in his last match for the Cherries.

Nevertheless, the two-times capped United States international admitted he will use the memory of the Preston and Millwall reverses to spur him on if he gets on the park today.

“We made a lot of changes in the Millwall game,” he said. “It was a difficult game because a lot of us weren’t match fit and we hadn’t played a lot of games together.

“At the same time, it is a bit different down there in terms of the competition and the FA Cup. The top teams sometimes have two or three competitions at the same time so there is a bit of rotation in the FA Cup.

“For Rangers, the Scottish Cup is definitely a priority. We are confident going into this game and, like I said, we want to win it. We are taking each game as it comes.

“Personally speaking, losing this game wouldn’t be good for me after my other cup experiences this season, so I am really motivated to win this one.”

Hyndman has, outwith the cup upsets he was involved in, endured a difficult time at the Vitality Stadium since arriving from Fulham, where he was a regular starter, in the summer due to his lack of first team involvement.

He is hoping to establish himself in Mark Warburton’s team in the second half of the 2016/17 campaign and help them enjoy success in the competitions that they are still involved in.

“I hope to gain a lot from the loan experience,” he said. “It has been a frustrating five months for me at Bournemouth, but, at the same time, I recognised what the manager wanted done.

“I’m delighted to be here. I’m looking to break into the team as soon as I can because I want to push the team to reach higher things.

“We have a cup game this weekend and that’s something I am looking to win. I am not here to be knocked out of it at all. I want to play as many games as I can. If I can do that I hope it helps Rangers.

“I am focusing on here right now. It feels kind of like a new beginning. I just want to relish the time that I have here and really make the most of it. I hope to do what I can.”

Bournemouth are, courtesy of wins over Everton, defending champions Leicester City and Liverpool among other results, sitting in 11th place in the Premier League down south, so coming to Rangers is a step down in level.

But it was quickly driven home to Hyndman that he had moved to a far bigger club when he played in the friendly against second-placed Bundesliga club RB Leipzig in Germany on Sunday.

“To see 8,000 Rangers fans in the stadium was something else,” he said. “It was unbelievable.”