'I expected us to win': McInnes hails big-game appetite of Hearts squad

Derek McInnes declared that he “expected” table-topping Hearts to beat Rangers after they showed their “big-game” appetite once again in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over the resurgent Ibrox side at Tynecastle.

The Jambos’ ended Gers’ 11-game unbeaten run in the league through goals from Stuart Findlay and Lawrence Shankland within four minutes of each other late in the first half, with Youssef Chermiti notching a stoppage-time consolation.

Hearts have now won all four of their matches this season against Rangers and Celtic – Scottish football’s traditional big two – and sit six points clear at the top of the league, having lost just one of their 18 matches.

“The players turned up again,” said manager McInnes, who scoffed at the notion his side are only leading the way due to the struggles of the Old Firm.

“That’s always the first question people would aim at you if you don’t win a game like this. Can you win the big games when it really matters, when the question is asked of you?

“Every game is a big game, same three points, but in every big game in the eyes of others, we’ve dealt with it.

“We’re nearly halfway through the season. I’ve got such a strong belief that we have got such a good team here. We’ve got a good thing going.

“I expected us to win today. I did. We’re exactly where we want to be. But I expected it to be tough and it was tough. Rangers have got a lot of talent.

“I keep hearing about how poor other teams are. But our points tally is exactly where it should be for a team who should be top of the league. People seem to think that Hearts are only top of the league because of the failings of others.

“But we’re just concentrating on ourselves. I genuinely feel we’re going to have to improve if we’re going to make it the season we want it to be.

“As the games go on, each game will hopefully become bigger. I want us to be relevant. I don’t want us just to see out this season and think of what it could have been. I want us to keep playing important games.”

Gers boss Danny Rohl was disappointed his side, who are 12 points adrift of the Jambos with a game in hand, were unable to build on a promising start that included a Bojan Miovski effort disallowed for offside.

The German refused to blame goalkeeper Jack Butland, who was at fault for Shankland’s goal, pointing out “Jack gives us a lot of points”.

“I saw a team from our side until 1-0 that was together,” he said. “We were really good in the game, unlucky with this tight offside decision.

“But then we had four minutes and it cost us something. This is really tough to accept. We missed a big opportunity today. This is hard to take.”