Keith Jackson makes new Rangers v Hearts prediction in Daily Record
Keith Jackson has insisted that the last thing Rangers need at the moment is to face Hearts, who he declared as the third-best side in Scotland at the moment.
The Daily Record journalist described Philippe Clement’s side as “completely dispirited” after their three-game winless run, with the semi-final set for Hampden Park on 21 April.
He went on to share his prediction that the game could go to penalties with a shot at silverware on the line – with the winner set to face Celtic in the final after they beat Aberdeen on penalties.
Writing in the print edition of the Daily Record [20 April, page 47], Jackson shared: “Hearts will never have a better chance of taking out one of the Old Firm to book up a shot at the other one in the final.
“Rangers look disjointed and completely dispirited and the last thing they need right now is to come face-to-face with the third-best side in the country with another piece of silverware on the line. Could go to penalties.”
This comes after Jackson previously predicted that the Scottish Cup is already set up for an Old Firm final at Hampden Park.
Rangers or Hearts to face Celtic in Scottish Cup final
After the frustration of a three-game winless run, including a 3-2 defeat against Ross County at Dingwall and a 0-0 draw with Dundee at Dens Park, Rangers need to make sure they bounce back quickly to keep their hopes of silverware alive.
While the SPFL title appears to have slipped away from them unless Celtic slip up between now and the end of the season, the Scottish Cup could be their best bet at securing further silverware this season after the League Cup win.
A draw with Dundee seemed to knock the wind out of Clement’s team in the title race as Celtic were allowed to pull head – a win against Hearts, as tough as Jackson thinks it may be, could give them the chance to get one over their rivals.
Plenty of Rangers players, most notably Fabio Silva and James Tavernier, have come in for criticism amid the dip in form and it is these players that will need to step up and prove themselves to avoid further upset against Hearts.
In other Rangers news, Dujon Sterling has been tipped to take a leadership role at Ibrox.
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