Key Takeaways
- Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd warns that his old club must defeat Heart of Midlothian to stay in the title race
- Heart of Midlothian sit three points clear at the top after beating Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby
- Rangers manager Danny Röhl insists his team will keep fighting until the final whistle of the season
Former Rangers forward Kris Boyd says his old club must win their next match or lose all hope of winning the league title. Rangers travel to face league leaders Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle on May 4. Boyd believes defeat would end their championship challenge.
“Rangers must go to Tynecastle and win. If they don’t, the title race is finished,” Boyd said. “This might be the fourth or fifth time I have said this.”
The latest round of matches brought fresh drama. Celtic defeated Falkirk to climb into second place. Then Rangers lost at home to Motherwell. It was their first home league loss this season. Celtic will feel happy watching Rangers lose at Ibrox.
Heart of Midlothian then faced Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby. Hibernian had two players sent off. Heart of Midlothian won the match to go three points clear of both Celtic and Rangers with four games remaining. “When Hibernian scored first, they probably thought they could win,” Boyd said. “But Heart of Midlothian found a way to win again. They continue to challenge the two big Glasgow clubs.”
Heart of Midlothian have been top of the table for most of the season. Boyd thinks they can stay there. “They have been leaders for a very long time,” he said. Some people have doubted manager Derek McInnes. But Boyd says the players fully support him. “If you ask the Heart of Midlothian squad who they want as manager, they would all say Derek McInnes.”
Boyd praised the club’s data team and owners. But he says you still need a manager who believes in the team and controls the dressing room. “I see a united team,” he said. “The substitute players want to make a difference. They want to play in the next match too.”
Rangers play at Tynecastle one day after Celtic visit Easter Road to face Hibernian.
Heart of Midlothian manager Derek McInnes said managers always watch other matches. “Anyone who says they don’t care about other results is lying. I always watch the games. Today we had to focus only on our own match,” he said.
“We said it would be hard for one team to win all five remaining games. The league has been unpredictable. But if you start well in the first match after the split, it helps you for the next one. Winning today does not make the next game easier. But it helps our confidence. We must still play well. Nobody will give us the title. We cannot rely on other teams. It is up to us.”
Rangers manager Danny Röhl said he will support his players. “My job is to lead the team forward. I will lift their spirits. We can feel sad about the defeat. But we must lift ourselves again. I will give the players belief,” he said.
“The season is not finished. This is the final stage of the league. We must continue. It is wrong to think everything is over. Only when the final whistle blows at the end of the season is it truly over. My team has played well until now. I believe we can win our last four matches. But we know this is difficult. We move forward with this belief. We keep believing in our work. We have a chance to win the next match.”