Rangers

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before the League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Here are the key points:

• Tochi Chukwuani is having a scan on a knee injury that makes him a doubt for the semi-final, with the midfielder feeling a "bit of discomfort in it".

• McInnes say reaching the final and potentially winning the trophy "would be so important" for everyone at Rangers and "reinforce confidence, reinforce belief".

• He stresses Rangers must "turn up" and knows semi-finals can be "fraught with a lot of nerves and tension".

• On facing his old side Aberdeen, who don't have their troubles to seek, he says they'll "be relishing this opportunity" and are "capable of a big performance" despite Rangers being viewed as favourites.

• McInnes says from his experience of managing St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen in semi-finals they were never the favourites but "always felt confident that we could win the game".

• The Ibrox boss feels "sympathy" for Pittodrie counterpart Stephen Robinson, adding. "I've managed the club for eight years up there and it's not always an easy club to manage, but they've got a good guy there and a guy who will get it right if given time, I have no doubts about it."

• Reflecting on Wednesday night's draw at Hearts, McInnes was disappointed at not being able to capitalise on taking the lead and admits Rangers were "second best for periods of the game", but have to "take the good" from coming back for a point.

• He praises the players' "resilience and strength of character to keep going", but knows there are aspects "we clearly needed to be better at".

• McInnes wouldn't be drawn on his tetchy handshake with Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken at full-time: "I wasn't emotional, there wasn't any tension on my end."

• He launched a defence of Emmanuel Fernandez amid critcism of the centre-back's form. "I only get asked about Fernandez when he has a poor game," says McInnes. "Nobody asked me about Fernandez on Saturday, he was outstanding on Saturday. Last night wasn't on Manny Fernandez, last night was a collective. He's been a big part of our better performances this season."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Wednesday night's visit to Tynecastle will have generated mixed emotions for Rangers supporters, with the late equaliser ensuring there were at least some positives to take out of the game.

Olwethu Makhanya, whose first goal for the club prevented Hearts from narrowing the gap on his side to just one point and Celtic from moving a further point clear, was once again outstanding.

The effortlessness with which he strolls through games brings to mind the performances of Virgil van Dijk or Jean-Alain Boumsong in Scotland. He, like them, looks a cut above and Rangers fans should enjoy him while he is at the club, for he surely won't be around for long.

The point gained (and it did feel more like that than two dropped) is better than Rangers managed on either of last season's visits to Tynecastle and stretches their unbeaten run to 10 matches going into Saturday's League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, so the momentum continues to build.

So does the relationship between Ryan Naderi and Kevin Kelsy, who combined again for the opener, well tucked away by the Venezuelan for a third goal in two games.

However, those positives cannot disguise the fact this was not a particularly good Rangers performance.

Sloppiness and bad decision-making meant Hearts were presented with numerous opportunities to deliver set-pieces into the Rangers box and having failed to learn their lesson in the first half, Rangers were finally punished when one of those led to the Hearts equaliser.

The balance of having Badredine Bouanani coming in off the right and Kin Min-su Kim off the left was disrupted by Derek McInnes's decision to start Djeidi Gassama instead of Bouanani, moving Kim to the right.

Gassama failed to make an impact and was eventually replaced shortly after Hearts drew level. Kim, who had been terrific on Saturday against St Johnstone, had an off night and was at fault for Hearts' second.

Findlay Curtis can consider himself unfortunate not to have been called upon to replace the Korean until six minutes from time, when Tochi Chukwuani and Bojan Miovski were also thrown on.

Ultimately McInnes was vindicated with the late equaliser but it felt like earlier changes would have been more beneficial.

Nonetheless, it is a point that perhaps Rangers teams of recent times would not have been able to salvage and they go into Saturday's meeting at Hampden with a beleaguered Aberdeen side as strong favourites.

If they can win that and their final league match against St Mirren before the international break, Rangers will be in a good place.

We asked for your views after Rangers netted a late equaliser to draw 2-2 with Hearts on Derek McInnes' return to Tynecastle.

Here are some of your comments:

Derek: Get out jail result. Could've won it at the end. Djeidi Gassama and Kim Min-su should've been hooked at half-time. Findlay Curtis did more in the last seven minutes than they did the time they were on the park. Sadly McInnes looked devoid of ideas on how to change it. As for Emmanuel Fernandez, the less said the better! Lacked a captain and leader on the park.

Iain: Yet again more points dropped away from home, a far from consistent or convincing team. Djon Sterling said prior to the game the "right Rangers" would beat any team in Scotland, the problem is the "right Rangers" don't turn up anywhere near often enough.

Sally: Rangers failed to control the midfield, allowing Hearts to break quickly. Gassama needs to be more consistent with Curtis as his replacement. Hearts were the better team on the night.

Billy: Another patchy performance, lucky to avoid defeat. Lost momentum since the Old Firm victories. Consistently inconsistent.

Stuart: Usual frailties exposed and McInnes failed to make a difficult but key decision - substituting Fernandez. If Ben Godfrey can't step in when a central defender is struggling badly then Rangers have a big problem. And it is being regularly exposed.

Steven: More dropped points and another 90 minutes that lack conviction and any real quality. I don't understand McInnes' delay in making the changes. Players on the park too long having make little to no impact. Curtis and Bojan Miovski came on too late and only Sterling will know how he missed that chance! Fernandez continues to confound. I cannot fathom how he starts. That being said, Olwethu Makhanya looks like a really good player and hopefully we can hold on to him.

Watch highlights from a night of drama at Tynecastle as Hearts and Rangers share four goals. Available to UK users only.

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Late equaliser scorer Olwethu Makhanya feels Rangers showed "a lack of character" and "came out leggy" in the second half of Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle. (Sun, external)

Right-back Chris Cadden, 30, may have added to Aberdeen's injury worries going into Saturday's League Cup semi-final with Rangers after limping off during Wednesday's 1-0 defeat by Falkirk. (Sun, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Rangers manager Derek McInnes: "[Hearts] need to defend the set-play at the end if they are going to get their victory and we've obviously taken advantage.

"Hearts had two or three top performers tonight. We scored a brilliant goal but didn't do that enough. It was two teams playing very direct. [Josh] McPake and [Calvin] Miller were very strong.

"I thought we were fortunate to go in 1-0 up at half-time. I don't think any team really grabbed the game and controlled the game, but I think Hearts had more opportunities to play in our half. It was a very topsy-turvy game. When we did get a chance to transition on them, we never quite looked after the ball well enough.

"Disappointed that from a winning position we never kicked on from that. The last chance at the death we should score. Findlay Curtis, what a cross he's put in... It was begging to be eaten up and it's a bit strange how its not gone into the back of the net.

"The top end of my side, they're very young and sometimes they need to come through these types of games and atmospheres, but we have to say we didn't play to our level, but the spirit and resilience to keep going...

"We could've gone on to win it, that would've been unfair on Hearts but we would've obviously taken that."

On his reception, McInnes added: "It was exactly what I thought, it's football, it's Scottish football. Hopefully history can be kind."

And on the tense handshake with Wouter Vrancken: "I actually don't know [what happened]. Maybe just got caught up in the heat of the moment. I thought he was going to thank me for leaving him such a strong squad. He's very lucky to inherit such a strong squad of players."

Olwethu Makhanya's late header rescued a Scottish Premiership point for Rangers and ensured they did not lose more ground on leaders Celtic on a hostile return to Hearts for manager Derek McInnes.

Have your say on the game

Read our match report

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Dujon Sterling insists "nobody can stop us" when the "right Rangers" turn up as he urged his side to put down a marker at Tynecastle tonight.

Derek McInnes returns to his former club with the aim of lifting Rangers seven points clear of third-place Hearts.

The Ibrox side lost both trips to Gorgie last season and Hearts are unbeaten in the league on home soil since April 2025, a 25-game run.

Contemplating a statement victory, defender Sterling said: "It puts down a marker to say that we're strong away from home and we're strong at home as well.

"We have no fear going into the game, we know what we need to do, we know who we are and it's about just being ready and matching everything that comes at us.

"If we turn up and we're the right Rangers, then nobody can stop us, in the league anyway."

Right-back Sterling, 27, has been with Rangers since 2023 and feels injuries rather than poor mentality have hampered the club in recent seasons.

"In terms of mentality, I don't really think there's been an issue in past squads," said the Englishman.

"We've always had key injuries to key positions, to key players, and we've started slow, had to chase to get back into it and then basically run out of steam at the end.

"Right now, we're keeping up with the pace. This time last year we were 13, 14 points behind. At the minute, we're only four.

"Everyone's goal in the group is obviously to try and win the league. There's no point coming to Rangers if you're not here to win trophies. Every game's a must-win game."

• Rangers boss Derek McInnes has won just one of his past 10 Scottish Premiership away games at former side Hearts (D4 L5), a 2-1 victory with Kilmarnock in October 2024.

• Hearts have won three of their past four league games against Rangers (L1), as many as their previous 31 in the top flight beforehand (W3 D6 L22).

• Rangers have lost both of their past two league visits to Hearts, last losing more in a row in March 1986 (4).

• Hearts have won 11 consecutive home league games by an aggregate score of 25-4. Indeed, Hearts are unbeaten in 25 league matches at Tynecastle (W21 D4) since a 1-0 defeat to Dundee in April 2025.

• Rangers have only lost one of their past 14 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W10 D3), a 2-1 defeat to Hibs in May last season.

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Hearts are again without Harry Milne (knee), Christian Borchgrevink (hamstring), Oisin McEntee (muscle), Stuart Findlay (groin), Ageu (muscle), Craig Halkett (Achilles), Blair Spittal (shin) and Tom Renaud (ankle).

Rangers remain without Ross McCrorie, Cammy Devlin, Lawrence Shankland (all hamstring), Youssef Chermiti (knee) and Daisuke Yokota (groin).

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Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland, 31, could return from hamstring surgery in early December. (Sun, external)

Manager Derek McInnes expects Shankland and Rangers team-mate Cammy Devlin to pass on information to the squad about going to face their former side Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening. (Record - subscription required, external)

Defender Dujon Sterlin, 26, is "happy" at Rangers and "there are no problems" regarding his contract situation, with his current deal still having 18 months to running. (Scotsman - subscription required, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Derek McInnes is convinced Rangers can thrive on the hostility that awaits them on Wednesday night - because they've already proved it this season.

The Ibrox boss referenced his side's 1-0 derby win at Celtic Park in September - where Rangers had no fans in the 60,000 crowd - as the template for how to end Hearts' 18-month unbeaten home run and silence a febrile Tynecastle.

McInnes, who is returning to Gorgie for the first time since his summer exit, said: "I remember when we beat Celtic at Ibrox [3-0 in the League Cup], we said it would be different the following week.

"Of course, it's a totally different set of circumstances, but we still had to deal with the game.

"There's a lot of talk when there's these big games, and obviously there's a lot of talk about this one tomorrow night, but ultimately the players have to perform at their level. I felt we got that in that game.

"Despite the circumstances, despite not having any fans, despite the intimidating atmosphere, I take comfort in the fact that they were so confident with their work, very assured.

"You need to work for that confidence, you need to work for that authority in a game. It doesn't just come because you've turned up and done it before.

"Tomorrow's a different game, but there are similarities in terms of how we deal with it."

While there has been much change at Hearts since McInnes was replaced by Wouter Vrancken, the Rangers boss revealed goalkeeper Beau Reus is the only new Tynecastle recruit he didn't have a hand in bringing to the club.

"The goalkeeper is the only player I didn't sign or work with," he said. "Although I hadn't worked directly with a lot of the new signings, they were players I had numerous Zoom calls and conversations with.

"Even at the end of last season, during the first week of my holiday, I was speaking to Tom Renaud, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, MJ Kamara and Amadou Ba-Sy.

"It means you feel you have a wee in with those guys. It's somebody else's job to bring those boys on now.

"They've got their job to do but they've shown enough encouragement this season to suggest they will be title contenders again. They are such a well-run club."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers manager Derek McInnes his been speaking to the media before his return to Tynecastle to face Hearts on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).

Here are the key points:

• McInnes accepts he may not get the reception at Tynecastle he'd like night and admits to feelings of "guilt" about leaving in the summer when the club was still in "mourning" about coming so close to winning the title.

• He adds: "I loved my time at Hearts, I need to say that. It was only a short time, but I thought my Hearts team were a breath of fresh air for Scottish football last season. I really enjoyed what we managed to achieve. It shows what can be done despite not having the huge financial muscle of Rangers and Celtic to compete with and I was proud of what we did there."

• McInnes admits he totally understands fans will feel the same way about his departure as he felt when his captain, Lawrence Shankland, swapped Tynecastle for Ibrox.

• McInnes says that left him feeling "flat" after what Hearts had just gone through, especially as the whole club was still trying to process how close they'd come to a first top-flight title in 66 years.

• He insists there's still a justifiable sense of "grievance" about the title near miss and maintains that "but for a few contentious decisions" Hearts would have won the league.

• The Rangers manager points to the result, and performance, at Celtic Park a few weeks ago as evidence his side can do what no team has done since April 2025 (in a game settled in 90 minutes) and beat Hearts at Tynecastle.

• McInnes describes Hearts away as "a test for my team, but I think we're ready for it".

• He wants his players to focus on the game rather than the atmosphere and is confident they have the quality to keep up their recent momentum.

• He adds: "Hearts have such a real strong squad. That's a home record to be proud of. We understand it's going to be a difficult game. Tynecastle is a brilliant atmosphere, it can be ferocious at times, it can be so passionate. You've got to deal with that side of it. But you've also got to be confident enough to deal with the game."

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

It was important Rangers bounced back from the Dundee draw with a resounding result and performance to match.

They delivered on both fronts. Kim Min-su was integral to everything good about our attacking play; the guy just needs a goal and he'll be flying.

The decision to bring back Kevin Kelsy and have Ryan Naderi as the second striker was the correct one, both strikers getting on the scoresheet and scoring instinctive goals in terms of being in the right place at the right time.

The 4-0 scoreline flattered St Johnstone in all honesty. Rangers' xG was 4.20, which I think is our highest this season in the league. It further backs up how important Kim and Badredine Bouanani were at creating.

Hearts is up next on Wednesday and it will be one everyone else in the league will have eyes on to see if we slip up.

This isn't one for Derek McInnes, on his return to Tynecastle, to overthink. Same team and go out and make sure three points are secured before Hampden and the League Cup semis on Saturday night.

Celtic-supporting former winger David Templeton has revealed then manager Neil Lennon tried to persuade him to snub a move to Rangers in 2012, but Hearts said he would not play for them again if he did not accept the six-figure transfer and instead waited to run out his contract to join their Glasgow rivals. (STV Radio Football Podcast, external)

Former Rangers manager Michael Beale has personally refunded his Zulte Waregem fans their ticket price after they suffered a fourth defeat in a row. (The Herald, external)

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.