GLASGOW (AFP) - Walter Smith has urged his Rangers players to help Hearts qualify for European football next season by beating Aberdeen in their final Scottish Premier League match of the season.

Last weekend the Ibrox club's manager watched his team lose their first league game since he took over in January when they lost 1-0 at home to Kilmarnock.

On Sunday Rangers will travel north to face Aberdeen, who need a win to secure third place and qualification for next season's UEFA Cup.

Although Smith's team have already secured the runners-up place he has demanded his players show more effort than they did in their previous game and give Hearts, who are one point behind the Dons, a chance of snatching third place.

The Rangers manager said: "This game on Sunday is an important one for us as we want to make up for the disappointment of losing to Kilmarnock.

"If we play the same against Aberdeen then there won't be much in it for us.

"We must make sure we get back to the levels of play we had shown in the previous months.

"Hearts have worked hard this season to try and qualify for Europe so we will play a strong side as that's the only way to go about it."

Pittodrie will be packed to its 22,000 capacity for Sunday's game and Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood believes his team's support can help them secure European football.

He said: "The fans are really coming out in force for this one and they are going to be so important for us.

"There is massive optimism and they know how close we are. They could be the difference in us getting there.

"We need to win the game and that is what our minds are set on."

Hearts will be hoping to win away to Kilmarnock on Sunday to pile the pressure on Aberdeen in the race for European competition next season.

While it would appear the Tynecastle team have an easier task than their UEFA Cup challengers in their final game, Killie will be looking to finish their campaign on a high after beating Rangers at Ibrox last week and will not make things easy.

Champions Celtic, meanwhile, will finish their SPL campaign with a match away to Hibernian.

Although there is nothing at stake for either team Scott Brown will be playing his final game for Hibs after this week agreeing to move to Celtic at the end of the season.

The deal set a new transfer record between Scottish clubs, with Celtic paying Hibs almost four-and-a-half million pounds for the 21-year-old midfielder.

With the top six teams of the SPL playing their final league games of the season on Sunday, the bottom six play their matches the previous day.

Dunfermline's defeat at Inverness Caledonian Thistle last week meant they were relegated to the Scottish First Division.

While this means there is little to play for in these matches, Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny must try and lift his players for the Scottish Cup final the following Saturday, where they will play Celtic.

The Pars play host to Falkirk, who have finished the season in seventh place.

Second bottom St Mirren will hope to overtake Motherwell, who are only a point ahead, by winning at home to Inverness Caley.

Motherwell will face a tough task away to Dundee United to make sure they do not finish second bottom.

The Fir Park team's manager Maurice Malpas will be desperate for a win after Motherwell's fans booed him following their 3-2 defeat at home to St Mirren last week.

Fixtures (1130 GMT unless stated)

Saturday

Dundee United v Motherwell, Dunfermline v Falkirk, St Mirren v Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Sunday

Aberdeen v Rangers (1300 GMT), Hibernian v Celtic (1300 GMT), Kilmarnock v Hearts (1300 GMT).