Hearts Confident Ahead Of Rangers Visit

Last updated : 23 October 2011 By Ed_Scottishfitba

Paulo Sergio hands on hipsHearts manager Paulo Sergio plans to add an new digit into the SPL record of Rangers today by adding a one in the games lost column. Rangers drew with St Mirren last week to spoil their chance of getting 10 consecutive wins and Sergio wants to hit Rangers again by being the first team to inflict a league defeat this season on the visitors. The opening day draw between the sides shows that Hearts are up for the challenge. Sergio has told his players not to be overawed by Rangers' SPL record under Ally McCoist, and Hearts' recent form at Tynecastle would back up that confidence. Hearts have scored nine goals with none conceded in four successive SPL wins at home, which included a win over Celtic.
 
Sergio said: "They didn't do very well in Europe but they are very strong in the SPL, nobody has beaten them. It's going to be very good motivation for us, trying to be the first one to beat Rangers. We are going to work for that. We have been working all week on a plan A and a plan B, maybe to surprise them. We know we are facing the strongest team in Scotland at the moment, but Celtic are a very strong team too and we got a very good result against them. So we are confident in ourselves and we will try to beat Rangers at Tynecastle too."
 
Nikica Jelavic is a doubt for Rangers with a bug but Sergio feels the Ibrox club's team spirit and understanding will enable them to cope with the loss of the key forward. The Tynecastle manager went on: "They have a very, very good thing, they have been together, before McCoist with Walter Smith. It is a team which has been playing together for two, three or four years so that is a great advantage to make their game because they know each other very well. So it's not important to talk about one or two players, they are a strong as a team and because of that they are leading the league."