Hearts vs Rangers LIVE: Stream, Score, TV channel as McGregor saves well from Humphrys after Colak nods in opener

Hearts team in!

Hearts XI to face Rangers: Gordon, M Smith, Cochrane, Neilson, Kingsley, Kio, Devlin, Forrest, McKay, Shankland, Humphrys.

Workaholic

Robbie Neilson has revealed that goalkeeper Craig Gordon turned down a day off to get ready for today’s match against Rangers.

The Scotland star has had a busy week – keeping two clean sheets for his country in three games and welcoming a new baby boy to the world in between.

Craig Gordon in training for HeartsCredit: SNS

Neilson, who played with Gordon when he came through at Hearts, was surprised to see him turn up at the club’s Riccarton training base a day earlier than he was required to but paid tribute to Gordon’s professionalism.

He said: “He’s a different player from what he was 15 years ago — more experienced, calmer, more settled.  

“The mark of him is that he had the game the other night and his partner has just had a kid.

“We said to him to take a couple of days off, but he turns up today at half nine to get ready for training because he wants to be ready for the weekend, and he wants to keep himself going.  He’s already talking about the European games coming up!”

Yilmaz progress

Could Ridvan Yilmaz be one of those new summer signings who could push for a start today?

Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed the Turkish left-back has been improving in training in recent weeks – but stopped short of guaranteeing him any sort of game time.

Ridvan Yilmaz in training for RangersCredit: Willie Vass

Van Bronckhorst told the media yesterday: “For Ridvan this is a new club and country, he’s settling in really well. The beginning was a bit hard for him to get settled but I see improvement in his training, he feels more settled with the players.

“It’s always good to see that. We have to see in the coming weeks that he will feature more in the team. Of course, depending on what we need in games.”

Team news preview

So with the starting XIs due to be announced in the next half an hour or so, here’s a reminder of how things stand for both sides in terms of who’s available and who isn’t.

Rangers don’t have their problems to seek – with John Souttar and Filip Helander out until AFTER the World Cup. Kemar Roofe is back in training but won’t be fit enough to start, and key man Tom Lawrence is still out too.

Hearts say key defender Craig Halkett is “touch and go” for the match, with the former Rangers star more likely to be back for the clash with Fiorentina in midweek. Liam Boyce is out with a long-term injury, Aussie defender Kye Rowles isn’t expected back until later this month and Lewis Neilson went off injured on international duty with the Scotland Under-21s.

Tom Lawrence hasn’t played since the PSV match – Gers were hoping he’d be backCredit: Getty