Rangers boss Mark Warburton has acknowledged his defence must improve as they gear up for a return to the top-flight.

Despite recording a 2-0 win over Motherwell in the League Cup, Warburton is ready to hand several new recruits their competitive debuts as he looks to sure things up at the back.

The concerns, which Warburton stressed have been the subject of intense analysis, are a continuation of Rangers' problems from last term.

He acknowledges that while the Ibrox side boast a fluid attacking game they have often been exploited and held to account defensively.

"We dipped at 75 minutes, I think you saw that," said Warburton. "We have got to work on that over the next two and a half or three weeks, which we will do.

"There are areas which we can improve upon. Defensively, we were lapse early on, twice, with an error and a back-pass etc.

"It's communication, it's awareness, it's all the basics."

Warburton is keen to rectify these problems and will assess some of the summer arrivals en route to finding a solution.

"Clint Hill will probably start," the Ibrox manager revealed ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Annan Athletic. "Lee Hodson, Matt Gilks will also start.

"We will make the changes but it's about using the four games to get the loading right on the players, so we will have three teams in mind for the next three games.

"We have to make sure the loading is right for each individual player, so that by the time the Burnley game comes around we will be in a good place in terms of preparation."

Meanwhile, Warburton expects to complete the signing of Joe Dodoo before the League Cup fixture at Ibrox but he is unlikely to be available for the fixture.