Hearts manager Neil Critchley is expecting to see a rejuvenated Rangers in this weekend’s Scottish Premiership clash at Tynecastle.
The Jambos manager reckons Rangers will arrive in Edinburgh with a point to prove after crashing out of the Scottish Cup at the hands of Queen’s Park last week.
Rangers will be facing a rejuvenated Hearts team at Tynecastle with Neil Critchley’s side unbeaten in no fewer than eight Scottish Premiership matches.
Anything but victory will see the pressure rise further on Philippe Clement but there is some injury news coming out of Gorgie that might turn heads in Glasgow.
That’s because Hearts could be without as many as six players for the clash with Rangers.
Six Hearts players could miss Rangers clash
There are a number of defensive options who have been ruled out of Hearts’ clash with Rangers.
Frankie Kent is amongst the most high-profile absentees, the Australian defender last seen in December and facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a muscle tear.
Former Rangers defender Craig Halkett is also set to miss the game in Edinburgh after sustaining a hamstring injury against Kilmarnock last month.
Stephen Kingsley – who was once linked with a move to Rangers – has been terribly unlucky with injuries and had to undergo surgery on a hamstring issue sustained in December.
But whilst the defender is back on the training pitch, the match with Rangers will come too soon for the Hearts star.
Likewise, Aidan Denholm remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
There are also a couple of players who remain doubts ahead of the weekend.
Cammy Devlin could miss out after sustaining a concussion in Hearts’ Scottish Cup win over St Mirren, whilst former St Johnstone loanee Lewis Neilson is a doubt due to a dead leg.
Rangers have their own injury issues at Ibrox
Rangers don’t have their own injury issues to seek ahead of the clash with Hearts at Tynecastle.
Whilst Philippe Clement is set to give a wider injury update this afternoon, the Rangers manager has five major injury doubts heading into the game.
Leon Balogun and Connor Barron haven’t been seen since the Europa League defeat to Manchester United, whilst you have to go back to early January for the last time Dujon Sterling was seen in a Rangers shirt.
Perennially injured South American duo Oscar Cortes and Danilo also remain major doubts, although Brazilian striker Danilo is closer than the Colombian winger.
