"A win is a must for Rangers, or their title aspirations will be extinguished." Former Rangers player Kris Boyd believes that his old team will be out of the title race in the thrilling Scottish Premiership season if they fail to secure a victory in their upcoming match against league leaders Hearts, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on May 4. The recent post-split fixtures have brought even more twists and turns to the season.
Celtic rose to second place after defeating Falkirk, while Danny Röhl's side suffered their first home league defeat of the season to Motherwell. Hearts then solidified their dominance with a notable Edinburgh derby win against nine-man Hibs, moving three points clear of the Old Firm with four games remaining. According to Boyd, this means it's crunch time for Rangers once again.
"Rangers must win at Tynecastle, or it's all over. I've said it before, but this time it's crucial," he told Sky Sports. "Celtic will be ecstatic about the result at Ibrox, and Hearts have consistently found ways to win and put pressure on Glasgow's top two teams." Hearts have led the league for most of the season, and Boyd finds it hard to argue against them maintaining their position. "They've been at the top of the table for a long time, and their players have faith in manager Derek McInnes.
The team is united, with players coming off the bench eager to make an impact and stake a claim for the next game," Boyd added. Rangers will face Hearts at Tynecastle a day after Celtic plays Hibernian at Easter Road, also live on Sky Sports.
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes shared his thoughts on Sky Sports: "It's natural to be interested in how other teams are performing. We focused on our own game, but a good start in the first split game sets us up for the next one. This win gives us a psychological boost, but we still need to perform and not rely on others." Rangers head coach Danny Röhl expressed his determination to Sky Sports News: "My job is to lead the team forward and give them the belief that we can still achieve our goals.
It's not over yet; we need to keep going and take it one game at a time. If we can secure four wins, it will be a challenge, but we have the chance to turn the next game in our favor."