"For Rangers, a win against Hearts is a must, or their title aspirations will be all but over," claims Kris Boyd, a former Rangers player. The Scottish Premiership's nail-biting title race has taken another dramatic turn. Following the first set of post-split fixtures, Celtic jumped into second place after defeating Falkirk, only for Danny Röhl's side to suffer their first home league loss of the season at the hands of Motherwell. Hearts then capitalized on this momentum shift, securing a historic Edinburgh derby win against nine-man Hibs to move three points clear of the Old Firm with four games remaining.
According to Boyd, this makes the upcoming match against Hearts a make-or-break moment for Rangers. "Rangers must secure a win at Tynecastle, or it's all over. I've said it before, but this time it's crunch time," Boyd stated in an interview with Sky Sports.
The pressure is mounting, especially after Hibs initially took the lead, only for Hearts to find a way to claim victory, posing more questions for Glasgow's big two. Having led the table for most of the season, Boyd finds it challenging to argue against Hearts maintaining their top spot. "They've been at the top for a long time, and it's hard to see them relinquishing that position now," he added.
The success of Hearts can be attributed to their manager, Derek McInnes, whose mindset and control over the dressing room have been pivotal. "The players believe in him, and that's what matters. You need a manager who can keep the team together and motivated, especially when players are coming off the bench," Boyd explained. With Rangers set to face Hearts a day after Celtic takes on Hibernian at Easter Road, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the season.
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes acknowledged the importance of focusing on their own games, saying, "We can't control what others do, so we just focus on our performance." Rangers head coach Danny Röhl remains optimistic, stating, "My job is to lead the team forward and give them the belief that we can still turn this around. It's not over until the final whistle blows."