Topping the table can ease Gers’ cup pain

Rangers can go top of the table with victory over Hearts at Tynecastle tomorrow – but boss Steven Gerrard admits he would rather be at Hampden.

The Ibrox men blew their chance at reaching the Betfred Cup final with defeat to Aberdeen in the last four and it is the Dons who will take on Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic to decide the first trophy chance of the season.

Gers have their own prize on offer, however, and can overtake both the Jambos and Celtic to claim the league lead if they make the most of this weekend’s opportunity.

But Gerrard admits he wishes it was his former Liverpool boss Rodgers and not Craig Levein that he was facing in the opposite dugout.

Gerrard said: “We want to be competitive in every single game and Hearts is the next one. There is an opportunity to go top of the table because Celtic and Aberdeen play in the cup final. To be honest, I’d rather be in the cup final but it is what it is.

“It will be a tough game. Craig has got the team flying high. They’ve had some injuries of late which has probably affected their form but they’ve still had a fantastic season so far.

“We’re under no illusions that it will be a tough game. It’s an intense crowd which is close to the pitch.

“We’re on the back of a European night and it’s a really tough test for the players but we’re capable of getting the result we want.”

The last time Gers sat at the league summit at this stage in the season was 2011 under Ally McCoist – just months before the Craig Whyte regime crumbled into a financial black hole.

But Gerrard is not getting carried away by the prospect of ending that long wait in Gorgie.

He said: “It’d be very nice if by the end of the weekend we’re sitting top of the table.

“But you get nothing for that at this stage of the season. It’s a long race and there is a lot of football to be played. It is, however, a good incentive to the players.”

Hearts defender Christophe Berra is set to make his return from injury three months early tomorrow.

The skipper was initially ruled out for six months when he tore his hamstring back in August but is now in contention to face Gerrard’s men.

Jimmy Dunne, the on-loan Burnley stopper, injured an ankle in training this week and is doubtful.

Hibernian striker Florian Kamberi returns from suspension for the Ladbrokes Premiership trip to Kilmarnock today. Full-backs David Gray and Miquel Nelom and striker Oli Shaw are all back in contention after injury. Killie will be without defender Stuart Findlay while on-loan Wolves frontman Bright Enobakhare is also unavailable thanks to a calf strain.