Rangers first-team coach Ian Durrant has told the players to work hard on the pitch to atone for their Scottish Cup defeat by Dundee United.

Much of the post-match reaction to Rangers' 2-0 defeat at Ibrox on Sunday focused on the club's financial predicament after Ally McCoist's men were well beaten in their first match since the sale of top goalscorer Nikica Jelavic to Everton.

But a team not featuring Jelavic had won 4-0 against Hibernian the previous weekend while Rangers were outplayed in the first half by a United side which had been assembled at a fraction of the cost following a number of key departures in the past six months.

Durrant admitted the Rangers team put out by McCoist should have been expected to beat United and offered no excuses regarding the uncertainty surrounding the club's tax case.

Rangers are reportedly trying to strengthen their squad by re-signing Gabon striker Daniel Cousin but Durrant knows the only thing he and the players can do is focus on keeping pace with Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.

Durrant said on the club's official website: "Any team we put out on Sunday should have been good enough to beat Dundee United but we came up short in terms of the standards we want at the club.

"After a result like that everyone is hurting but it's done and we have to look forward.

"We've got to aim for the league now. We need to put in the hard work and show what we can do."

Looking ahead to Saturday's SPL clash at East End Park, Durrant added: "Our next game against Dunfermline is massive and we just have to get on with it.

"We have to work hard and roll the sleeves up.

"Every game is a challenge and I'm sure Dunfermline will look at our result against United and feel they will have a chance this weekend.

"Jim McIntyre always sets his teams set up well and they are disciplined.

"But our objective will be to go out and try to emulate the excellent 4-0 win we got there earlier in the season.

"I'm sure we can go out and do the business but we know it will be a very hard game."

Cousin turned 35 this week but has recently been representing his country at the African Nations Cup and played under McCoist when the current manager assisted Walter Smith.

McCoist admitted at the weekend that he was in the market for free agents after Rangers failed to replace Jelavic before the transfer window closed.

Cousin's agent, Willie McKay, told the Daily Record: "Daniel had talks with Ally McCoist today and everything looks very positive.

"He has a few offers on the table because of his recent form with Gabon but he is keen on the idea of returning to Rangers."

The target man scored 13 goals in 44 games for Rangers before being sold to Hull in September 2008. He has most recently played for Larissa in Greece.