Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has warned “people would be wrong to dismiss us” after his side saw their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership cut to two points.
Sunday’s 4-2 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox saw Danny Rohl’s side close in on the Tynecastle Park club, while Celtic’s 97th-minute winner at Kilmarnock means they would move level with the Jambos should they win their game in hand.
There are 11 games left in Hearts’ season, and McInnes believes his team still have “a brilliant opportunity” in the battle for top spot.
“We’ve not really spoken to the players about bouncing back [from the defeat to Rangers]. I think that’s just in our nature; it’s part of the course. It’s not always going to be a bed of roses – you’ve got to respond.
“Away at Tannadice, St Mirren, Ibrox, dealing with Celtic, playing the Hibs in the derby – we thought if we could still be top of the league when we come through those fixtures, then we had, on paper, potentially a good opportunity between now and the split.
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Highlights from Hearts’ defeat at Ibrox
“We are still where we are, at the top of the league. It’s important that we now focus on the job in hand and not dwell too much.
“The fact that we are where we are in the league, with 11 games to go, sitting at the top. We’ve got to try and relish the opportunity.
“We’ve always expected a fight and we’ve always expected it to be tight. It’s up to us to try and make the most of the situation.
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Sky Sports reporter Gordon Duncan reflects on a dramatic weekend in the Scottish Premiership and where the race for the title could turn next!
“I see it still as a brilliant opportunity. Anybody who doesn’t, I think, is wrong, to be honest.”
Hearts’ next game is against Falkirk at Tynecastle Park, where they have not lost a league match all season.
Four of the club’s six pre-split fixtures are at home, with four of their upcoming games also against teams in the bottom half of the table.
As the number of games remaining continues to go down, McInnes was asked if the pressure would then grow on the chasing pack.
He said: “I think Claudio [Braga] said it has been 41 years or something since a team [outside of Celtic and Rangers] has been talked about like this and actually managed to win the league. From that point of view, there shouldn’t be any real pressure on us.
Claudio Braga (R) and Marc Leonard (L) both scored in Hearts’ defeat at Rangers
“We’ve just got to try and enjoy it. We are enjoying it, but nobody enjoys defeats. I want us to keep the sort of form that we’ve had up until now, because if we are consistent with those results, then it will go down that final straight. That’s all we want to do, make sure we’re still in the mix for it.
“It’s not just each other they [Celtic and Rangers] are competing with. They might think it is after Saturday, but I think people would be wrong to dismiss us.
“We’re still sitting on top of the league, and we’ve got such a strong home record. Hopefully, we can make some hay with the upcoming fixtures.”
