After completing his move from Irish champions Shelbourne yesterday, the 23-year-old just wants to get down to establishing himself in United’s defence.

“With all that has been going on at their club with the manager being appointed, the focus is on them. It usually is anyway and I’m quite happy if people are looking at them and leaving me to concentrate on my job.

“If I am picked, it will be a great place for me to start and I’m looking forward to going there. I been outside Ibrox before, but I’ve never been in it, so it should be a good experience.”

Boss Craig Levein will decide overnight whether or not Dillon, who has not seen competitive action since November, is fit enough to start or should be on the bench, and the player will happily accept his new gaffer’s decision.

“It’s difficult to say how close I am to 100% match fitness. I feel I’ve done OK in training since I arrived, but I’ve definitely felt it a bit more than the other lads by the end of the sessions.

“I had three weeks off at the end of the season back home, but I trained on my own over Christmas and New Year — I’d usually do that anyway, but I was aware there was a chance I’d be coming and wanted to be ready to play.

“It’s not the same as training with a squad, but the gaffer has seen me over the past few days and I’ll trust his judgement. If he says I’m ready to start then I will have complete faith in him.”

And, for the manager, tomorrow is about ignoring the hype surrounding Walter Smith, reproducing the form shown in a win and a draw against Rangers already this season, and recovering from the pain of the last game — a defeat against Falkirk.

“A lot has been going on this week and this game has added significance for Rangers. That’s something we can’t concern ourselves with — our last game was a big disappointment because our form had been good before it and we have to focus on getting back to that form.”

And while his squad has been depleted by injuries to Christian Kalvenes and Steven Robb, and suspensions being served by skipper Barry Robson and defender Lee Mair, Craig is excited at the prospect of new signings Dillon and Jon Daly being in his squad.

Dillon looks a likely starter, while Daly and top scorer Noel Hunt are set to share a lone striker’s role.

“It’s good to have more options and, while it will probably be Jon or Noel up front, knowing I will be able to change things during the game is a luxury I haven’t had so far.

“The new boys will need time to settle, but, in some ways, starting with such a big game is probably easier because the emotion tends to be excitement about the occasion rather than fear.”

With incessant rain in Glasgow over the last few days, Rangers plan to hold a pitch inspection at 8.30 tomorrow morning.