Rangers

Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin knows Monday's game against Hearts is "do or die" for their title hopes and understands their will be questions around the players' mentality until they win another title.

When head coach Danny Rohl arrived back in October the Ibrox club were 13 points off league leaders Hearts and had cut that gap down to just a point before last weekend's defeat to Motherwell.

Now, the Glasgow club are four points off the top with four to play but could once again narrow that gap to a point with a win at Tynecastle on Monday.

"It's not nice, especially when we've worked so hard to come back to that position," Raskin said.

"That's the thing that is even more frustrating for us. But like I say, we can't go back to that [Motherwell] game, it's done. So now we need to focus on Hearts.

"We know it's a kind of do or die game. It's either we win and we are in it or we lose and it's going to be very tough.

"So we all know, it's very clear for everyone. We have to win over there if want our chances to keep increasing.

"If we don't believe in ourselves then no-one else is going to believe in us. So first of all we need to believe we can do it.

"We know we can do it. We've shown it during the season. It's just now we have to put the last effort into the last four games and give some extra to go and get the win."

Hearts are searching for their first league title since 1960 while Rangers last won it in 2020-21, since then Glasgow rivals Celtic have dominated the Scottish top flight.

And Raskin admits Rangers need to win a trophy to silence any doubts.

"Like you say, until we win the big thing I think that's going to always be there," he said of questions around Rangers' mentality.

"But I don't think we can talk about mentality when a team comes back from 13 points behind to a position where you can still win the title.

"So it's a bit, I won't say unfair, but like you say, until we win the big thing it's always going to be a question mark.

"But we just keep focusing on ourselves and what we need to do to go and win it.

"And no matter what people say, we don't focus on that. We just focus on how do we win the next game? How do we get better for the next game and that's it."

Image source, SNS

Former Hearts and Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday suggests Rangers may have to "throw caution to the wind" at Tynecastle on Monday.

The Motherwell midfielder, who played for both Rangers and Hearts, feels Emmanuel Longelo's late goal against Danny Rohl's side last weekend has totally changed to dynamic ahead of Monday's game.

The sides had been level at Ibrox with 20 minutes to play on Sunday but Longelo's 90th minute goal took all three points for Jens Berthel Askou's team and pushed Rangers four points behind the league leaders.

With that in mind, Halliday says Rangers' title challenge will be over if they don't win on Monday.

"I think it's done for Rangers absolutely," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It'll then go to seven points between Rangers and Hearts with only nine points remaining. So they would absolutely be out of it.

"Rangers getting a point at home to Motherwell, you can't say it's a good result because they needed to win that game but I do think that that goal by Emmanuel Longelo in the last minute completely changes things.

"If that finishes a draw, then Rangers are only three points behind Hearts with a better goal difference going to Tynecastle. So even a draw in that respect, I still think they're in the race because there's three games to go. It only takes Hearts to lose one, Rangers to lose one.

"So I think that it's a game that Rangers have to win and it will be really interesting to see how they respond to that. If it is 1-1 or 0-0 with 10 minutes to go, for me I think they have to completely throw caution to the wind to try and win the game.

"Does that then suit Hearts to then try hit them on the counter attack with the likes of Pierre Landry Kabore that will no doubt come off the bench with his pace towards the end.

"I think it's going to be a fascinating game but without doubt it's one that Rangers have to win to stay in this race."

Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are all pushing to secure the signing of Rangers' 19-year-old Scottish midfielder Bailey Rice. (Teamtalk), external

Rangers are unhappy the SPFL have backed Celtic in the clubs' ticketing row over next Sunday's derby match at Celtic Park, with the Ibrox club faced with the decision whether or not to take up an allocation on condition the Union Bears supporters group do not attend. (Record), external

And former Rangers manager and captain Barry Ferguson fears a return to no away fans at future Old Firm games. (Herald - subscription required), external

Saturday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has been delighted with "role model" Youssef Chermiti's development in the past six months.

The 21-year-old striker failed to hit the ground running following his £8m move from Everton last summer, scoring just once in his first 18 games under Russell Martin and then Rohl.

But Chermiti has found form with 11 goals in the following 19 outings - including eight in his past eight league games - and is set to lead the line again in Monday night's crucial visit to leaders Hearts.

"Honestly, for me, Youssef is the role model for our development from October to now," Rohl said.

"I think he had a really difficult time in October, November, and maybe if you ask people now, nobody will say he should be on the bench.

"You see how hard he works for the group in every single game at the moment. He scores goals, he is involved in dangerous situations, he is outstanding in training at the moment, he really improved and this is fantastic to see.

"We try and support him all the time and it was important for us in some moments to keep him on the pitch and protect him. It is what he gives me and gives the team back.

"He shows a big, big character and what is also important, especially at our club, you have to understand what it means. If you work hard and you bring a lot of effort, the outcome will come. This is a good example.

"Youssef did really well and I am really happy to have him here. Hopefully he scores more goals and he has big courage. In big games he is always pressing on the pitch. This is good to have."

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Danny Rohl has been talking to the media before a pivotal Premiership game against table-toppers Hearts at Tynecastle on Monday evening.

Here are the key points:

• Rohl says his team will have to play to 100% of their capabilities against Hearts: "We need 100% to take the points. We can't play at 95% or for 45 minutes… we need to make good decisions in both directions."

• He expects Tynecastle to be "on fire" as Hearts "fight for something historical". Rohl says Derek McInnes' team will be going "all-in" and Rangers will be "ready to fight".

• Rohl spoke of the importance of the 50-50 duels at Tynecastle. "We also have to ask for the ball, be active, smart and organised." He stressed Rangers cannot give away "stupid fouls" in dangerous areas, which would be "gifting opportunities" to Hearts.

• Rangers have "four finals to go" and the Ibrox boss praised his players for their "outstanding spirit" in training in the wake of a hugely disappointing and damaging loss to Motherwell last Sunday.

• Rohl singled out Yousef Chermiti for praise as a "role model of our development from October until now". The striker had a "really difficult time in October and November but now nobody says he should be on the bench. He's outstanding in training and a big, big character".

• Tuur Rommens is back training. "Let's see about Monday night," says the manager. "He's just had his first training session." Ryan Naderi has also resumed training and might be available.

• Commenting on the vexed business of Rangers fans potentially being locked out of Celtic Park, Rohl says there should be supporters from both sides at every game of football. All he can do is "cross my fingers and hope".

Lewis Ferguson won't join Rangers even if he leaves Bologna in the summer, according to his dad Derek. (Daily Record, external)

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock have signed back-up Rangers goalkeeper Kieran Wright on an emergency seven-day loan.

The 27-year-old's last first-team appearance came more than a year ago during a loan spell at Airdrieonians.

Kilmarnock goalkeeper Max Stryjek made his comeback from heart surgery in last weekend's defeat at Aberdeen where Kelle Roos was on the visitors' bench.

At his media conference on Thursday, manager Neil McCann spoke of injury concerns but would not name players.

Second-bottom Kilmarnock host Dundee United on Saturday.

"The club thanks Rangers for their co-operation in allowing the deal to happen smoothly and swiftly," Killie said.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

After last weekend's defeat to Motherwell, Rangers surely cannot afford to lose against Hearts on Monday evening if they want to keep their title chances alive.

Having mounted a comeback from two down in their previous outing to thump Falkirk 6-3, Danny Rohl's side were unable to deliver a similar escape act against the Steelmen, going down 3-2 and slipping to third.

The first of four remaining games comes at Tynecastle. Win and they'll move within a point of Hearts. But lose and the deficit will stretch to a chasm of seven.

Could Youssef Chermiti be the man to make the difference for Rangers?

Since arriving from Everton for £8m last summer the 21-year-old - who has scored 12 goals in 26 Premiership appearances - has performed only in flashes and faced criticism for his missed chances.

He has not struggled against Hearts though. In fact, one third of Chermiti's Premiership goals have come against Derek McInnes' men.

In two defeats and one win Rangers have netted five against Hearts this season - and Chermiti has scored four of them, with the other a Michael Steinwender own goal.

The Portuguese striker's hat-trick in the 4-2 Ibrox victory over Hearts in February was a glimpse of the lethal finishing and dynamic forward play he has shown too infrequently.

Across his three games against Hearts this season Chermiti has had eight shots - the most of any Rangers player and the same number as opposing striker Lawrence Shankland in one fewer meeting.

Chermiti has scored four of his five big chances against the Tynecastle club and is averaging a goal every 39.5 minutes.

He has vastly outperformed his xG (expected goals) of 1.76 across the three games.

If Rangers are to take all three points from Tynecastle on Monday, Chermiti could be the difference.

• Rangers suffered their first defeat in 17 league games last time out against Motherwell (W12 D4) though haven't lost back-to-back matches in the Scottish Premiership since March 2018 under Graeme Murty.

• Hearts have won four of their six league games against Celtic and Rangers this season (D1 L1); the only side ever to win five league games against the two Old Firm clubs in a single campaign are Aberdeen, who have done so on three occasions: 1977-78, 1979-80 and 1982-83, all under Alex Ferguson.

• Rangers have lost two of their three league meetings with Hearts this season; only in 1985-86 have they ever been beaten three times by the Gorgie side in a single league campaign.

• Hearts have won their past five home league games, last enjoying a longer winning run at Tynecastle in the top flight from August to December 2005 (eight in a row).

• One third of Youssef Chermiti's Premiership goals have come against Hearts (four of 12). The last Rangers player to score five league goals against a single opponent in a season was Fashion Sakala versus Motherwell in 2021-22, while the last player for any club to score five in a Scottish Premiership season against Hearts was Scott Sinclair in 2016-17.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist has urged his former club to sign Leeds United striker Joel Piroe this summer. (Daily Record), external

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson says he will be "absolutely raging" if fans of the Ibrox club are barred from Celtic Park for next month's Old Firm clash. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Thursday's Scottish football gossip

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Following a damaging home defeat to Motherwell, Danny Rohl has plenty to ponder with Rangers' Scottish Premiership title hopes hanging by a thread.

A trip to face league leaders Hearts is being billed as a must-win fixture for the Ibrox side, who sit four points off the summit with four games remaining.

But how should the German head coach approach the Tynecastle showdown?

Having seemingly settled on a 4-2-2-2 shape, Sunday's loss to Jens Berthel Askou's side has thrown Rohl's preferred system into question.

In a sensational first-half performance from the Steelmen, Rangers were toyed with and were fortunate to head into the interval just two goals down.

Motherwell were able to outnumber Rohl's midfield and cut through the heart of his team, with Emmanuel Longelo and Tawanda Maswanhise deployed as wide forwards to pin back the home side's full-backs.

Although Rangers were ultimately undone late on, a half-time switch to a 4-3-3 allowed them to be more compact in central areas, while the introduction of Mikey Moore gave them far more threat in attack.

The Tottenham youngster's minutes have been carefully managed lately following fitness issues, but fans of the Ibrox club will be desperate to see the teenager start at Tynecastle.

Rohl's 4-2-2-2 system worked well for Rangers in their 4-2 win over Hearts in February, but that was with striker Ryan Naderi fit to partner Youssef Chermiti and left-back Tuur Rommens available.

The fitness of the duo who missed Sunday's loss could determine Rohl's decision-making, with his team likely needing a victory against a side who remain unbeaten at home in the league this season to thrust themselves back into contention.

"We have to just look at the next game - Sunday has passed," Rangers podcaster Scott Cameron said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It was disappointing. It was another Jekyll and Hyde Rangers performance, but we go to Tynecastle on Monday and we can win at Tynecastle.

"Admittedly, Hearts have got a fantastic home record, but I think the approach has to be to go out and win the game and then take it from there.

"We've blinked first, but we have to bounce back with three points."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Prior to Rangers' game against Motherwell on Sunday, Danny Rohl said he didn't want to focus on "negative" thoughts about the manner in which his side started the previous game against Falkirk.

A couple of hours later, he admitted they had paid the price for a similar first-half display against Motherwell and this time it proved hugely costly, dealing a massive blow to their title prospects.

Jens Berthel Askou's side were brilliant, particularly in that first period, but that should not have come as a surprise to Rohl and Rangers and does not excuse how flat they were and seemingly incapable of counteracting the visitors' slick, pacy play.

Now Rangers require favours from others and certainly cannot afford to lose again. They probably need to go to Tynecastle and win and then avoid defeat at Celtic Park, both of which will be extremely tough, but not impossible.

Celtic have to go to Easter Road before that and both Rangers and Hearts will hope Hibs can take something from that game, and Hearts and Celtic still have to go to Fir Park again, so all is not lost for Rangers.

But Rangers can't afford to start games the way they did against Falkirk and though they could ultimately have won against Motherwell as well, despite that dreadful first half, they can have no real complaints about the outcome having given themselves so much to do.

The half-time changes definitely made a difference, with Mohamed Diomande putting in his best performance since coming on at Celtic Park to turn that game in Rangers' favour.

But the key introduction was that of Mikey Moore, albeit he should have scored. That aside, he once again showed how important he is to the team.

He is clearly not 100% fit, as Rohl alluded to, but if Rangers can't get him ready to start the upcoming fixtures against Hearts and Celtic, their hopes of getting the results they need will be diminished.

Monday is massive for both sides. It's going to be another fascinating weekend in the title race.

Image source, SNS

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a move for Rangers captain James Tavernier in the event they are relegated to the Championship. (TeamTalk), external

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

After the win at Falkirk, I warned a first 25 minutes like that against Motherwell would prove to be fatal.

Yet here we are. Going two down was always a big ask against a team that, in no uncertain terms, gave us a chasing in the first half.

The change in shape - from 4-2-2-2 to 4-2-3-1 - and three half-time subs helped us get a foothold in the game and retrieve the two goals.

Chances were spurned and then came the naivety - letting Stephen O'Donnell run and run without a challenge and losing the late goal was infuriating.

I must admit one change I did find crazy was Connor Barron on for Thelo Aasgaard when we have Oliver Antman and Andreas Skov Olsen sitting on their behinds.

The result is a killer. Any notion of a title win is fanciful at this stage. We now have to win four from four and hope for favours.

But going on Monday to face a Hearts team that are still unbeaten in the league at home all season now seems such a massive ask.

It was bad enough not winning against Motherwell, but to lose it is utterly deflating as a supporter and I can only imagine the psychological damage it has done to this group of players.

'Keep believing' and such platitudes are great, but ultimately they mean little when you shoot yourself in the foot with a double-barreled shotgun.

There have been so many games we've thrown away this season: Dundee at home, Motherwell three times, and that's before you talk about Livingston and the collapse against Celtic.

It feels done, it probably is done, and if we don't finish third I'll be surprised.

Image source, SNS

John Beaton has been confirmed as the referee for the huge meeting of title rivals Hearts and Rangers at Tynecastle on Monday.

Andrew Dallas will be on VAR duties while Beaton is assisted by David McGeachie and Jonathan Bell.

Hearts remain unbeaten at Tynecastle in the Premiership this season and a home victory would put them seven points clear of Rangers with three games remaining.

Beaton has presided over four Hearts games this term - none of which Derek McInnes' side have won. Three were draws - against Motherwell, Dundee United and Kilmarnock - plus a 3-2 derby defeat at Easter Road.

This will also be Beaton's fifth match in charge of Rangers, with the Ibrox side having won three and drawn one.

Image source, SNS

Will the latest Old Firm ticket row signal the end of away allocations in the fixture?

The SPFL are this week due to decide whether to uphold Celtic's refusal to give Rangers tickets for the derby at Parkhead on 10 May unless the Union Bears ultras group is excluded.

The row comes in the aftermath of disorder at the Scottish Cup quarter-final on 8 March when spectators from both clubs entered the pitch after Celtic won on penalties at Ibrox.

It is an issue "so toxic" that the league sub-committee responsible for the adjudication should be "wearing hazmat suits", says The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, he added: "You fear for away allocations as we know them at the moment, I think they'll do well to survive us.

"The SFA are having an independent inquiry at the moment where they will try and pin exactly where responsibility should be attributed for what happened on 8 March.

"They will make their findings known probably in the summer, the problem is they've got a game at Parkhead to get to before then on 10 May, and basically this comes down to a dispute between the two teams on how you should handle the Ultra problem.

"Celtic think, as they've shown - they banned the Green Brigade for five months - it should be collective punishment, you should hit them en masse. Rangers take the view it should be more of an individual thing. Celtic clearly think Rangers have been a bit weak on this issue.

"Rangers say no, they can't lay down the law to us on who we can sell tickets to. It's the eternal story of football in Glasgow, it's two bitter rivals who will not yield to one another.

"It's going to be to some poor souls on the SPFL board to decide who's right and who gets their way over this.

"I think if the SPFL uphold this Celtic stance then Rangers absolutely will reciprocate and that would be regrettable.

"But equally if we see that the police are struggling to deal with large-scale allocations, it might be unavoidable in the long term, it might well be the way we have to go just to try and kind of cool minds and bring some sanity back to the situation."

Rangers captain James Tavernier is likely to snub transfer interest from English clubs in favour of a move to Saudi Arabia this summer. (Football Insider), external

Ibrox legend Kris Boyd has suggested some Rangers players are going missing as the Scottish Premiership title race heats up. (Glasgow Times), external

Former Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst - currently Arne Slot's assistant at Liverpool - is a candidate to become Feyenoord's technical director. (Daily Mail), external

Scott Parker's future as Burnley manager is in the balance following the club's Premier League relegation and former Rangers and Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard, 45, could be in contention to replace the 45-year-old. (Talksport), external

Gerrard, who left Saudi Arabia's Al-Ettifaq by mutual constent after 18 months in charge in 2025, is also being targeted by Championship side Bristol City. (Independent), external

Leon King has not ruled out staying at Ayr United beyond his current loan spell, with the on-loan Rangers defender out of contract at Ibrox at the end of the season. (Herald), external

Image source, SNS

Rangers winger Mikey Moore insists they are not out of the title race despite Sunday's 3-2 home defeat by Motherwell.

The result leaves Rangers four points behind Hearts and one behind Celtic, who they visit in their next two matches.

"Obviously it was massively disappointing because we didn't start the game well enough," Moore said.

"We showed good character to come back and I genuinely thought we had a good chance of going on to win the game, but it obviously wasn't meant to be.

"But now we need to bounce back from that and just show a real good mentality. We're calm.

"But now we know that it's all or nothing really, so we need to be at it from the very first minute."

Moore acknowledged that Rangers will need to win all four of their remaining league matches, but is not giving up hope.

"I don't think it's an impossible task," he said. "If we show the best versions of ourselves, we have more than enough to win every game left.

"There's only one focus. We're not thinking about a negative side of it now, because you can't dwell on it. So there's full positivity in the group."

Moore's parent club Tottenham are at risk of relegation from the Premier League and there is some uncertainty over where he will be playing next season.

"I want to keep playing games," he said. "I want to know that every week I've got a chance of playing.

"I'm not going to rush into playing somewhere higher than I can play, where I'm going to maybe sit on the bench and not get as many minutes. I want to keep building on what I've built this year.

"I've loved every second of my time here. And if it was the right thing for me and my career to stay here, then 100%, I'd love it.

"But it's not just down to me. I don't just make the decision. We'll have chats and wherever that will take me in the summer, it will hopefully be best for my career."