Heart of Midlothian manager Derek McInnes insists it would be a mistake to write his side off after their first defeat to Old Firm opposition this season.
Following another dramatic weekend in the Scottish Premiership title race, McInnes moved to remind both Rangers and Celtic that Hearts remain firmly in contention.
Rangers’ 4-2 victory at Ibrox trimmed the gap at the summit to two points, while Julian Araujo’s stoppage-time strike against Kilmarnock kept Celtic within striking distance and potentially capable of moving above their Edinburgh rivals with a win in hand.
Hearts have been among the most reliable sides in the division this season, suffering only minor setbacks rather than any dramatic collapses.
However, with two defeats in their last three matches and key figures Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland still sidelined through injury, questions have begun to surface about whether the league leaders can maintain their grip on top spot in the months ahead.
McInnes has consistently downplayed talk of a title charge, stressing that the expectation lies elsewhere given the financial gulf between Hearts and the Glasgow giants. Yet, with two months remaining until the split and a run of fixtures that appears more favourable on paper, he believes his side remain a genuine threat.
He said: “We put pressure on ourselves because we’ve been up there for so long, but the disappointment would be far greater than it probably should be. Claudio Braga mentioned after the match that it’s been 41 years since a team has been talked about like this and actually gone on to win the league.
From that angle, there shouldn’t be huge pressure on us. We just need to embrace it. We are enjoying it — but no one enjoys losing.
“Our aim is to maintain the consistency we’ve shown so far. If we do that, it will take us right down to the closing stages.
That’s all we’re trying to achieve — make sure we’re still right in the fight. Rangers invested heavily in January, Celtic were also active because they understand what’s at stake.
It’s not only about the two of them competing with each other. They might think that after Sunday, but people would be wrong to overlook us. We’re still top of the table and our home form has been excellent, so we’re hopeful of capitalising on the upcoming games.”
Looking ahead to the pre-split run-in, four of Hearts’ final six fixtures are at Tynecastle, with away trips only to Kilmarnock and Livingston.
While McInnes rejected suggestions of an “easy” schedule, he admitted satisfaction at having navigated a demanding stretch of matches.
“I wouldn’t label it easier,” he added. “It was well recognised that we had a tough sequence — three away games and home fixtures against Celtic and Hibs. Every match in this league is a challenge.
But the reality is that before the split, we have four of the next six at home, and our record there has been very strong.”
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