David Weir has paid tribute to fellow Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra for successfully filling the void left by Carlos Cuellar.

Fans were furious when Cuellar was sold to Aston Villa for £7.8m in August, fearing his departure would have a detrimental effect on Rangers' title hopes. But the Spanish centre-half has all but been forgotten at Ibrox just a few short months later thanks to the form of Bougherra at the heart of defence.

Bougherra was recruited from Charlton in the summer and the Algerian has yet to put a foot wrong since being catapulted into the team alongside Weir. "Replacing Carlos was going to be hard for whoever was asked to do that and they have been big boots to fill," said Weir. "But Madjid has come in and taken to things straight away. He deserves great credit for that. It's a big compliment to him that he has made the fans forget about Carlos very quickly.

"That was a big ask but he has done it. He keeps things simple and that is the nature of being a defender. He has good habits."

Bougherra was absent last week but should to return for the visit of Aberdeen in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this weekend and Weir believes Jimmy Calderwood's men will pose a major threat.

He told Rangers News: "Aberdeen always raise their game when they play Rangers and that has been apparent over a period of time. We know we will have to match their desire to win and we have to compete with them on that level."