Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
Hearts
Rangers
On Matchday 26 of the Scottish Premiership, Hearts will host Rangers on Sunday, February 16, at 13:00 CET. Here’s a statistical breakdown of the matchup and a betting recommendation on the winner.
Hearts - Rangers: Key Facts and Head-to-Head
- Hearts are unbeaten in their last eight matches (six wins, two draws).
- Rangers are unbeaten in their last eight Premiership games.
- Hearts have scored in four consecutive matches.
- Rangers have won only one of their last seven away games.
- Rangers have scored over 1.5 goals in 78% of their matches this season.
- Rangers have kept a clean sheet in 41% of their matches.
- Rangers won the last meeting 1-0 and have won three of their last five encounters against Hearts (two draws).
Hearts - Rangers: Match Preview
Hearts are in excellent form, currently on a nine-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. Their strong performances have lifted them to seventh place in the league, putting them in a tight battle for a top-six finish. The top six teams qualify for the Championship Group, giving Hearts a great opportunity to secure a place among Scotland’s elite clubs for the final phase of the season.
Rangers, meanwhile, are chasing Celtic at the top of the table, but their title hopes look slim. They sit second, trailing Celtic by 13 points, while holding a comfortable 16-point gap over third place. Their main objective now is securing second place, but they suffered a shock defeat to Queen’s Park (0-1) in the Scottish Cup, exiting the competition in the Round of 16. This loss will likely motivate Rangers to bounce back strongly in the league.
Probable Lineups
- Hearts: Gordon; Neilson, Penrice, McCart, Forrester; Spittal, Baningime, Devlin, Kabangu; Shankland, Forrest
- Rangers: Kelly; Tavernier, Rafael Fernandes, Jefte, Propper; Hagi, Diomande, Rice; Bajrami, Chorniy, Igaman
Prediction
Hearts are in great form, but Rangers will be desperate to respond after their cup disappointment. Despite their struggles away from home, Rangers still have the quality to secure three points and reaffirm their dominance in the league.
My betting recommendation: Rangers to win with odds of 1.73.
