Hearts have cemented their place at the summit of the Scottish Premiership as the festive season arrives, following a significant 2-1 victory over Rangers at Tynecastle. The result marks a historic achievement for the Edinburgh club, who have now defeated both Celtic and Rangers home and away in a single season for the first time since their title-winning campaign of 1959-60.
A Historic Achievement for the Gorgie Side
The match was decided by a blistering four-minute spell in the first half. Stuart Findlay opened the scoring, capitalising on a defensive error from Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland. The lead was swiftly doubled by captain Lawrence Shankland, who fired home from a tight angle, with Butland again at fault. A late consolation goal from Youssef Chermiti did little to dampen the home celebrations.
This crucial win extends Hearts' impressive lead at the top of the table. They now sit six points clear of Celtic and a commanding twelve points ahead of Rangers, with the season's midway point to be reached this Saturday in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian at Easter Road.
McInnes: Our Points Tally Speaks for Itself
Hearts manager Derek McInnes was quick to dismiss any suggestion that his team's position is solely down to the struggles of the traditional Glasgow giants. With just one league defeat so far this season, he believes the table does not lie.
"I keep hearing about how poor other teams are," McInnes stated. "But our points tally is exactly where it should be for a team who should be top of the league. People seem to think that we are only top because of the failings of others. We're just concentrating on ourselves."
While delighted with the progress made from last season, McInnes emphasised the need for continuous improvement to sustain their challenge. "We've still got that fight to improve. I genuinely feel we're going to have to improve if we're going to make it the season we want it to be," he added, highlighting the importance of smart recruitment in the January transfer window.
Rangers Rue Costly Errors
For Rangers manager Danny Rohl, the defeat was a frustrating setback. His team had started the game promisingly but were undone by the two quick-fire goals before half-time.
"We missed a big opportunity today, this is hard to take," Rohl admitted. "I spoke about the steps, today it was more a sidestep than a step forward." He refused to single out goalkeeper Jack Butland for his mistakes, instead pointing to the collective result. "Football is not about ifs, it's about the result and today we couldn't win."
As Hearts prepare for the derby, the message from Tynecastle is clear: this is no fluke. The club, from the board to the supporters and the players, is united in its ambition. The challenge now is to carry this momentum into the second half of the season and turn a stunning start into a historic finish.
