We expect to win the game ... going ahead of Rangers in the table would be MASSIVE
HEARTS BOSS NEILSON WANTS HIS SIDE TO SHOW THEY’RE FINALLY READY TO PUNISH THE OLD FIRM
RThe way the players are playing, they’ll go out with confidence
OBBIE NEILSON insisted last night he ‘expects’ Hearts to beat Rangers tomorrow — and has targeted the two-goal victory that would also see them leapfrog the Ibrox side into second place.
Tynecastle hosts Scotland’s match of the weekend at lunchtime as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men kick off in Gorgie at 12.30pm.
An away win would see Rangers top the table before Celtic host Motherwell at 3pm. But Hearts boss Neilson hopes his side can sign off for Thursday’s huge Europa Conference League tie against Fiorentina in the capital with a morale-boosting victory.
Neilson said: ‘It is at Tynecastle, so we expect to win the game and that is what we are going to try to do. The way the players are playing, we will go out there with confidence.
‘We know we are playing against a very good team who were Europa League finalists four months ago.
‘They are a good team and they strengthened again in the summer, so we have to be at it but we have shown that we can do it. We are really looking forward to the game. It’s an opportunity for us. We are sitting three points behind them.
‘If we can get a result and go ahead of them on goal difference, it’s a massive game for the club.
‘One of the things we speak about at the start of the season is beating the Old Firm. The games at Tynecastle are games that we have won before, so there is that belief that we are going to go into the game and win.
‘If we can do that, we can start taking it through to Glasgow, which is the next step.’
After two Europa Conference League matches, Hearts have three points, two in front of Fiorentina, ahead of hosting the Serie A side on Thursday night.
Neilson wants to put on two fine performances for the Hearts supporters who keep digging deep to fund their club through good times and bad.
‘It’s outstanding for the fans,’ said Neilson, who expects defender Craig Halkett to miss out against Rangers tomorrow but be back fit to face Fiorentina.
‘It will be another full house on Saturday against Rangers. The supporters keep putting their hands in their pockets. Every month, they are putting money into the club.
‘These big games, and going abroad for European nights, are a reward for them. It is up to us to put on a show for them.
‘But right now, we just need to focus on the next game. If we start talking about what we are going to do on Thursday or the following week, you start to lose focus.
‘For us, we are playing Rangers at home in front of a full house and we need to put our strongest team out.
‘Like any team, you go up and down throughout the season. At the start of the season, Rangers were flying and scoring goals and doing really well. Then, you go through a wee dip and then you get back up again. But Rangers are still a very, very good team with a lot of good players.
‘They have also had a couple of boys out with injury, which is similar to ourselves.
‘Once they get all of them back, I think they will be strong again. But, hopefully, we get a result against them and then we move on to Thursday.’
Neilson watched with pride this week as his keeper Craig Gordon and Stephen Kingsley helped Scotland finish top of Nations League Group B1.
Gordon (39) played every minute against Ukraine and Ireland at home and in the 0-0 draw against
Ukraine in neutral Poland that clinched a play-off for Euro 2024 and a place in League A.
The goalkeeper’s partner Summer gave birth to their baby boy Axel on the morning of the Ireland game after a sleepless night.
However, the veteran keeper declined the offer of extra rest after an exhausting few days of national service.
Neilson said: ‘The mark of Craig is that he had the game the other night and his partner has just had a kid and we said to him to take a couple of days off. But he turned up on Thursday morning at 9.30am to train because he wants to be ready for the weekend.
‘Craig is already talking about the European games and getting ready for Scotland against Turkey in November.
‘I didn’t even know we had
“We said to Craig to take a couple of days off but he turned up on Thursday at 9.30am to train”
a game against Turkey in November!
‘He’s really driven to try and get as many caps as he can and keep playing for as long as he can.
‘As long as Craig’s body holds up, he will still be playing.
‘What were my emotions watching Scotland? I want the team to win and I want my players not to get injured.
‘I’d rather Craig Gordon made no saves in the game and the ball didn’t go anywhere near the penalty box.
‘But it is also motivation for the other players that Hearts is a place where you can get the platform to play international football.
‘For the last four or five years, we have not produced a lot of international footballers but I’d love to be in a place that we are losing 10-15 players during international breaks.’