Rangers out to avoid eight-year losing first vs Hearts dating back to Graeme Murty days
Rangers head to Hearts on Monday evening looking to bounce back from last week’s shock defeat to Motherwell.
The Gers came unstuck 3-2 at Ibrox as Emmanuel Longelo’s last-minute goal completely undid all the hard work from the past few months.
Having dragged themselves back into Scottish Premiership title contentious with an unbeaten run, Rangers now find themselves four points off leaders Hearts once again.
That makes Monday’s trip to Tynecastle must-win as far as Danny Rohl‘s men are concerned if they are to have any chance of landing the title.
And a surprise stat has emerged that could potentially work in Rangers’ favour for their clash with leaders Hearts.
⚽Rangers match day ⚽
Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Rangers fixture.
When was last time Rangers lost back-to-back league games?
As Nicolas Raskin said this week, Rangers are now in do-or-die territory as they prepare to head to Tynecastle.
A point is not good enough for the Gers; they need all three if they are to halt Hearts’ momentum and close the gap back to within a point.
| Stat | Hearts | Rangers |
| Wins | 27 | 89 |
| Draws | 28 | 28 |
| Goals scored | 133 | 275 |
The defeat to Motherwell last week was Rangers’ first in the league in 17 league games, having won 12 and drawn four in that run.
Incredibly, not since under Graeme Murty in March 2018 have Rangers lost back-to-back matches in the Scottish Premiership.
There have been numerous examples of a loss being followed up by a draw in that sequence, but never two losses on the spin.
That is a positive omen Rohl will hope continues on Monday in a game for the ages.
Hearts could hit a two-decade Tynecastle high
It goes without saying that Hearts have been superb this season. If they go on to finish in top there is no doubt they have deserved it.
The Jam Tarts have won five home games in a row and are seeking a sixth on the spin in the league for the first time since December 2005, when winning eight in a row.
Meanwhile, as per Opta, Rangers have lost two of their three league meetings with Hearts this season and could lose three times to them in a single campaign for the first time since 1985-86.
That would be an unwelcome stat Rangers do not want to see rewritten in a couple of days’ time, with their title aspirations seriously hanging by a thread.
Four wins from four is the only thing that will suffice now, starting with three points in Edinburgh.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Rangers Insider Access
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.