Hearts 2-1 Rangers: Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton criticise spirit from Danny Röhl's side as title hopes crumble
Rangers' heart and willingness to suffer has been criticised following their 2-1 defeat to Hearts; Danny Röhl's side were in control and ahead at half-time before a second-half collapse; Rangers now seven points off the top of the table with three games to play
Monday 4 May 2026 21:01, UK
Rangers' heart and willingness to suffer has been called into question as Danny Röhl's side all but fell out of the Scottish Premiership title race in a 2-1 defeat to league leaders Hearts.
Knowing a win would move them just one point behind the Jambos and Celtic, Röhl's men took the lead in the first half through Dujon Sterling and looked in complete control at Tynecastle.
However, a second-half comeback spearheaded by Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland left Rangers seven points off the top, all but ending their hopes of claiming the title.
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Defeat to Motherwell in the previous fixture already gave Rangers a mountain to climb, but with three games to go, the Ibrox outfit require a miracle to overturn the deficit.
Club legend Kris Boyd was critical of the players' desire to suffer in order to claim the title ahead of this Sunday's Old Firm clash live on Sky Sports.
“Hearts are at the top of the table and have been for a number of months. You have to expect that you’ll have to suffer," Boyd said.
"You’re going to have to defend properly. That’s the mentality. It’s easy to say when you’re on the ball you’re looking good. But you have to suffer, you have to dig in.
"That could’ve been Rangers today. But they didn’t. They allowed Hearts to get back in the game.
"You have to suffer to win. For me, Rangers, the only thing they suffer is defeat. The group was as low as they have been since Röhl came in.
"But you don’t win trophies for getting back into the league. You have to strike. Once again, Rangers have failed. Rangers two weeks ago were the bookies favourites. Two games later, boom. Out of it.”
Sutton: Tavernier has 'the heart of a pea'
It was meant to be a night to remember for soon to be departing Rangers captain James Tavernier, who made his 564th appearance for the club - moving him to fifth in the list of all-time appearance makers.
However, the 34-year-old's defending was called into question on both Hearts goals, leaving Chris Sutton to criticise the heart of the full-back in vital moments.
"Look at the Rangers captain [Tavernier]. That sums him up, his whole time at Rangers," Sutton stated post-match.
"He has the heart the size of a pea. He's bad on both goals, he should react.
"He should smell the danger the and try and block it. He is so lax, he has killed his team there."
Röhl demands courage from Rangers in final three games
Rangers boss Röhl was left wondering what could've game after watching his side look a shell of themselves in the second 45 minutes.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss admitted the defending on both goals wasn't good enough and demanded more courage from his players during the remainder of the run-in.
"The goals we conceded were too easy. We were not in the right positions," he told Sky Sports.
"We cannot just play 45 minutes at the highest level. Football is about 90 minutes and you have to do a lot of things right to get something here.
"In the next three games, I demand they do everything. We wear the shirt of this club and it means we have to show character, personality and courage.
"If you're not ready to do everything for a clean sheet, this is the result. Today, it was our fault we lost. It was not so much about the opponent."
Rangers' final three fixtures:
Sunday May 10: Celtic (A) - kick-off 12pm, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday May 13: Hibernian (H) - kick-off 8pm
Saturday May 16: Falkirk (A) - kick-off 12.30pm
