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Rangers manager Alex McLeish has no injury or suspension worries ahead of Sunday's trip to Tynecastle.
The Ibrox side came through their 4-0 win against Kilmarnock unscathed last week and know that victory by a two-goal margin will take them back to the top of the Premier League.
McLeish is likely to field the same side that performed so well last Sunday, with young midfielder Stephen Hughes set to retain his place.
Rangers' task may be made easier if the Edinburgh team decide to rest key players.
And Hearts manager Craig Levein has said he will consider fielding a weakened side if they are already assured of a Uefa Cup place.
If Kilmarnock fail to beat Dunfermline on Saturday, Hearts will go into the game with their European place guaranteed.
"We have goals and ambitions and my only concerns are about those goals and ambitions," said Levein.
"We have three players - Steven Pressley, Andy Webster and Scott Severin - all sitting on 15 (disciplinary) points and they are one booking away from a suspension so we'll see what happens on Saturday with the Kilmarnock game."
Levein will make a late decision on the inclusion of striker Mark de Vries.
The Dutch forward returned to training after a hamstring injury but the club are waiting to see if there is any reaction before deciding on whether to include him.
Rangers won 4-0 on their last visit to Tynecastle and have beaten Hearts 2-0 and 1-0 at Ibrox this season.
Obvoiusly todays result is good news for rangers ... Killy could only draw away to Dunfermline, meaning that hearts are pretty much guarenteed 3rd place.
Craig Levin could be leaving out 3 of his best players in Pressly, Webster and Severin, and perhaps even DeVries.
I for one will be praying he doesn't, as i'v already got my ticket for the game tomorrow and was kinda hoping for Hearts to grab a cheeky point .... we shall have to wait and see.
Leven's earlier comments coupled with the result this afternoon are having a big effect on the prices being offered, it would appear.
This morning Hearts were being offered at about 7/1 ish across the board. Since Kilie's draw this afternoon, Hearts have been pushed out to as much as 12/1 in places, Rangers being forced down to as low as 1.18, but rest at about 1.25 in several books.
Of course there is a chance that Levin will hold a few boys back, but there's also a good chance he's spilling a load of crap. I would wait untill the teams are confirmed.
if you field a weakened side you got fined..a precedent was set around 2 years ago with end of season games and players being rested..personally no matter if you have no things to play for you should play a full team..the fans pay good cash and should expect to see a full side take the park.
Hey Peter, hope you had a good break.
I agree with what you say but unfortunately cant really criticise that much. It was only a season ago that Celtic playes a weakened team against Killie on the last day with meant Hearts didn't get into Europe .... could be coming back to haunt us now!
Hearts head coach Craig Levein insists his side will have their own agenda when Rangers visit on Sunday even though their aim of European football may have been achieved before kick-off.
Kilmarnock have to beat Dunfermline on Saturday to have any chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup as Hearts have a superior goal difference than Jim Jefferies men. However, Levein admits he wants his side to keep up the good work against the Old Firm.
He said: "I am not the slightest bit interested in what is happening with the title race and we will do our best to beat Rangers on Sunday.
"The fact that we have managed to beat Celtic this season has had a huge impact on the players confidence. "And I would like to beat Rangers for a similar reason. We have not beaten Rangers since I have been here, not through lack of trying. "We have done reasonably well on a number of occasions but I have never sent a team out not to win a game."
Levein does not feel compelled to pick his strongest 11 on Sunday even though he may be accused of favouring Rangers in the race for the title. Jim Duffy's Dundee side were thrashed at Parkhead during the week which promoted reports that Duffy wants Celtic to win the league.
Levein added: "It is fascinating to hear the amount of people talking about Dundee not putting out a full strength side against Celtic and they are saying we will not put out a full strength side but to be honest I don't care about the whole thing.
"We have goals and ambitions and my concern are those goals and ambitions and I don't have any feeling about who will win the league or who doesn't win the league."
Instead, the Tynecastle boss is more focused on his sides gradual improvement against the Old Firm. He said: "I have already said that I have an ambition to try and beat Rangers. It is important psychologically for this football club to be able to dig into our memory banks next season and say, we are able to beat these teams because we have done it previously. "That's my perspective of the thing and I will make the decisions based on what I think is right for us." Hearts striker Graham Weir led the Jambos attack, along with Mark De Vries, in the 2-1 defeat of Celtic at Tynecastle and he is looking forward to testing himself against the Ibrox clubs rearguard.
He said: "I does not intimidate me, it's just another game to me. "I came on against Rangers at Ibrox the last time. I played against Moore and Amoruso, they are obviously experienced players and Moore is an Internationalist so they are hard to play against. "You have got to test yourself but I am only 18 and I test myself everyday in training and in games and I am just looking to get better. ôWe are capable of beating them, we have got the players. We just need to go out and believe in ourselves and hopefully we can do it. "Even before the Celtic game, we started to believe more in ourselves but that result gave us a big lift and more confidence to play against the Old Firm."
Team News:
# De Vries - trained Friday, late fitness test
# Webster - returns from suspension
# McCann - suspended
# Stamp - suspended
Another Quote from Craig Levin:
He said: "We'll have 14,000 Hearts supporters keen for us to win the game. We're also trying to sell season tickets for next year and we hope to show people who are unsure about buying one that we're worth watching.
"We're not at full strength because we've definitely got two players out in Austin McCann and Phil Stamp, but that's completely out of my control.
"People thought last week that we would have got a thrashing because we were under strength.
"We were without Mark de Vries and we lost Stamp after five minutes but we still didn't get a thrashing. So I don't think the loss of two players will be that significant."
With Hearts basically guaranteed European fooie next season and with the following factors I honestly don't think Hearts will be giving one hoot about todays game !!
Celtic lying down to Killie for them to get into europe and also St Mirren lying down to Celtic (celtic won 5-0) in 1986......
I reckon there will b a few changes in the Hearts team, although either Webster or Elvis will play. They will want to win, the fans r well up 4 it, but won't have so much 2 play for having Europe in the bag.
With '86 and '01 not forgotten, I piled on rangers @ 1.35 yesterday.
I have to disagree with the folk saying that hearts will be less motivated for this game. Hearts v Rangers is always a huge game, especially when it's at Tynecastle with 14000 home fans cheering them on. There has been talk in the hearts camp this season of trying to make a step up next season to get closer to the old firm, and with the confidence all the players will have after beating celtic, I feel Hearts will go into this game fully determined and hungry to take something off Rangers. Hearts have played well agianst rangers a couple of times this season ... resulting in a couple of 1-0 defeats, and a good performance in the 4-0 game, which was 0-0 untill Mayburry got sent off.
I'm a Celtic fan, so it's probably good to take what I say with a pinch of salt, i'v just got a feeling this game isn't as much of a formality af folk seem to think.
I don't think it's a formality. I just reckon with the injuries/suspensions of key players and rangers going for the title, it gives them the edge.
As a Hearts fan I hope we will win but with '01 in the back of peoples minds it adds another dimension.
Craig Levein is his own man and however much pressure he's under from the press etc he will do what he thinks is best for the club. Whatever he decides, he will have my backing!
I can get is on sportinglife and it seems hearts are slowly getting the better of the game, and Pressley and others are playing, anybody watching the game???
I was really hoping for a drop of points today but it was not to be, Rangers are top by having scored one more goal this season, although the goal difference for both is the same, this means that Celtic must score a clear goal more than Rangers next week, it is possible but you'd have to favour Rangers now getting the opportunity to win the title at home, its by no means certain but looking increasingly likely and I don't think Kilmarnock will do us any favours as they don't like Celtic, unless maybe Gordon Marshall gets an attack of nostalgia
With the UEFA cup this week and the end of season next weekend, its going to be both an exhilarating and nerve racking week, with Rangers being able to rest, they have to be favourites now!
Another penalty missed anyone who thought Hearts would lie down had to see the game they were right up for it took a while but Rangers got there in the end Klos had a couple of great saves early on but Rangers deserved in the end though and roll on next week should be a great days football Good luck Wednesday Jhim I am sure that means alot more to you guys use up all your luck then.
McLeish showed that no matter how big the name if you aren't doing the job you get hooked..Arteta was playing poorly in the 1st half yesterday and McLeish had no hesitations in subbing him at half time..Rangers slowly piled the pressure on Hearts in the 2nd half and got the result in the end..roll on next weekend..wonder what game BBC1 will show i have no doubts if it was that tight in the EPL both games would be shown on 1 and 2..although if you have Setanta you will see the Celtic game..no probs for me i will be at Ibrox anyway.
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