Problems persist for Levein for Gers visit

Craig Levein admits his Hearts side have their own problems to focus on as they prepare to face troubled Rangers.

The Rangers board announced the sacking of manager Pedro Caixinha while Hearts were training ahead of tomorrow’s meeting at BT Murrayfield.

Caixinha’s fate was sealed after Rangers followed up a Betfred Cup semi-final defeat by Motherwell with a home draw against Kilmarnock, but Hearts are also licking their wounds after a midweek derby defeat by Hibernian.

Rangers have a number of injury and suspension issues but Levein is short of midfielders and struggled to find a balance at Easter Road, admitting that playing Connor Randall and Rafal Grzelak in the middle left them struggling to pass the ball. He brought on 16-year-old Harry Cochrane at half-time and remains with limited options.

“I played a couple of defensive players, not in positions they hadn’t played before, but out of position,” he said. “I felt a little bit for them, they struggled with the position they were asked to play and that’s my responsibility.

“It would have helped us if we’d had more midfield players available. It’s a problem. Arnaud Djoum, Don Cowie, Prince (Buaben) and Malaury Martin are all out. What we’ve got left is either defensive players or young kids.

“We just couldn’t get our forward players on the ball and I think that was down to the fact we couldn’t get any cohesion in midfield.”

Levein left Ibrox on Wednesday before Rangers capitulated in a dramatic period of stoppage-time that saw them miss a penalty, get Ryan Jack sent off and concede an equaliser.

When asked whether their opponents might be vulnerable, Levein said: “Rangers are Rangers, aren’t they? There’s always a thing about playing against Rangers. We don’t have our own troubles to seek but I’m very confident we will put up a decent display.”

Craig Levein: short of options in midfield.