Levein: Get your Hearts set on top four in league then let’s go all out for Scottish Cup Final triumph

CRAIG LEVEIN has challenged his Hearts side to break into the top four with a 100 per cent league run – then gun for Scottish Cup glory. The Jambos will return to Tynecastle this weekend, where they take on Rangers, for the first time since their last-four win over Inverness booked their place in next month’s Hampden final against Celtic.

Levein knows all the talk is now about the cup final but he still feels his team have under-achieved in the Premiership.

And he wants them to use the top-six split to claw themselves further up the table, starting with a home win against Steven Gerrard’s side. The Tynecastle gaffer said: “I want us to win every game between now and the cup final and then go there in good form.

“We have had a bit of a frustrating season. We are in sixth place and I’d like us to climb one or two places, at least, and that will require a fair amount of focus.”

They also go up against a Rangers team that have beaten them three times this season and that is something Levein is keen to rectify.

He reckons his outfit have been masters of their own downfall in those games and has challenged his players to put things right this time around.

Levein said: “Our games against Rangers this season have been

frustrating. We have shot ourselves in the foot in nearly all of them by giving away early goals.

“My main thing is that we don’t do anything silly.

“We are also at Tynecastle which always makes me feel good and I am confident the boys will get a boost from the game against Inverness.”

Rangers chairman Dave King said in a statement to his seasonticket holders that their club are on the verge of returning to the top of the Scottish game.

Levein accepts there has been improvement under Gerrard but still thinks they have work to do to close the gap on champions Celtic.

Levein said: “He knows Rangers better than me but who knows? They have some improvement to do. Celtic have set the bar fairly high for everybody.

“Rangers have done reasonably well this season and we will see what happens next season.”

The Cup Final has given the Jambos and their season a real shot in the arm and Levein knows they have to build on that.

The former Scotland boss said: “It can only be good for the squad and the boys because they did a professional job at the weekend.

“It also means our season lasts one week longer, although we are all happy about that.

“There are a lot of good things going on just now at the club.

“Every now and then you need to have moments like this Cup Final to prove to people that things are progressing.”