What Derek McInnes will tell Hearts players after Rangers defeat as Scottish Premiership title race hots up
Derek McInnes has to go back to the drawing board after Hearts lost 4-2 against Rangers on Sunday.
The Scottish Premiership title race is well and truly on after Danny Rohl’s side secured a massive win at Ibrox against the league leaders.
The Maroons took the lead on two separate occasions in Govan, but weren’t able to see out the result and secure three points.
Youssef Chermiti grabbed a hattrick to maintain the Light Blues’ second-place position in the table, as the final stretch of the season comes into view.
Rangers have put themselves in a great position, but there will be questions over how McInnes can get his side back on track.
What will Derek McInnes say in the Hearts dressing room?
There were so many moments of quality from Claudio Braga in G51, but he ultimately didn’t do enough to drag his side through.
The second half just showed that the hosts wanted the win more as they were able to settle in and get to grips with the game much faster.
The fact that Chermiti netted three certainly made things easier and has left the Gers just two points behind Hearts with 11 games to go this season.
That will give new levels of confidence to Rohl, but may represent the beginning of the end for the Maroons if they don’t turn things around quickly.
Former forward Ryan Stevenson has suggested that McInnes will remain positive in the Ibrox dressing room, even after such a frustrating result and performance.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, he said: “Derek McInnes will be telling his players that they are still at the top of the league. Yes, this will be a sore one, but they have 11 games to go.“
Rangers could cause downfall of Hearts
With just 11 games remaining, there is so much jeopardy surrounding the final weeks and months of the season.
Rangers will be confident now, with this win behind them, that they can go on to beat almost anyone in the division as it is now.
Hearts may not have that same level of confidence off the back of their defeat at Ibrox, which could represent their downfall this season.
Hearts’ next five fixtures
- Falkirk (H)
- Aberdeen (H)
- Kilmarnock (A)
- Dundee (H)
- Livingston (A)
McInnes’ attention will now turn to a Tynecastle clash against Falkirk, which won’t be easy in itself as they have three wins from their last four games.
They have to turn things around and quickly, otherwise risk being eclipsed by the Light Blues as the end of the campaign comes into view.
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