Hearts welcome Rangers to Tynecastle on Wednesday night in one of the most eagerly anticipated Scottish Premiership fixtures of the season.
The spotlight will inevitably fall on Derek McInnes, who returns to Gorgie for the first time since leaving the Jambos to take charge at Ibrox during the summer.
Hearts supporters are unlikely to give their former manager a warm welcome after his departure following last season's title near-miss.
The hosts head into the contest boosted by a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Motherwell at the weekend.
Wouter Vrancken's men needed that after suffering a 2-0 midweek reverse to Trabzonspor in the UEFA Conference League just days after a catastrophic 7-1 collapse at Celtic Park.
Meanwhile, Rangers travel to Edinburgh with momentum firmly behind them after an emphatic 4-0 victory over St Johnstone.
That result extended the Gers' unbeaten run to nine matches, a sequence that includes eight victories, and keeps them firmly in touch with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
Sitting four points behind their Old Firm rivals, McInnes knows his side cannot afford any slip-ups if they are to maintain pressure in the title race.
But they will again be without injured ex-Hearts duo Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin for this high-octane clash.
Hearts v Rangers Tips Summary
Best Bet - Rangers to win @ 4/5
Alternative Bet - No card before 30:00 @ 5/6
Bet Builder - Both teams to score - Yes, Ryan Naderi to score anytime & James Penrice 1+ shots @ 21/4
Hearts v Rangers Prediction
Best Bet: Rangers to win @ 4/5
This fixture is unlikely to be straightforward for Rangers, but the visitors look capable of navigating a difficult evening at Tynecastle.
McInnes' side have been one of the form teams in Scotland over the last month and their nine-game unbeaten run demonstrates both consistency and resilience.
The Gers have also looked significantly more dangerous since reverting to a two-man strike partnership, with Kevin Kelsy and Ryan Naderi providing a physical focal point capable of unsettling any defence in the division.
Supporting them, Badredine Bouanani and Minsu Kim have developed an increasingly productive understanding in the final third.
Their ability to drift inside and create overloads has added another dimension to Rangers' attack and was a major factor in the comfortable victory over St Johnstone.
While Hearts deserve enormous credit for battling through a congested schedule, the demands of Conference League football appear to be taking a toll.
The Jambos have suffered several injuries in recent weeks and continue to rely on players operating outside their preferred positions.
That lack of squad depth could become a major issue against one of the league's most in-form sides.
A hostile atmosphere will undoubtedly motivate Hearts, but Rangers possess greater quality throughout the pitch and should have enough to secure an important away victory.
Alternative Bet: No card before 30:00 @ 5/6
Referee Don Robertson is likely to be kept busy at various times in this eagerly anticipated Premiership clash as McInnes returns to Gorgie for the first time since leaving for Ibrox in the summer.
The official can expect a febrile atmosphere in this clash between second and third in the Scottish top flight, with plenty of incidents to police.
Robertson will want to keep a lid on the contest while also letting it flow when he can, so he may delay the inevitable card-waving until later on.
He has only issued two cards before the 30-minute mark in his five previous Premiership matches this season, a couple of which were very robust affairs.
Hearts fans will recall he took charge of their winner-takes-all clash with Celtic on the final day of last season when the first of the nine yellow cards he issued came in the 35th minute.
Hearts v Rangers Bet Builder Tip
Both teams to score - Yes
Ryan Naderi to score anytime
James Penrice 1+ shots
Pays @ 21/4
Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings of these clubs and it would be no surprise to see them produce an end-to-end affair on Wednesday.
Naderi, who has scored five times in his last six Premiership appearances, looks like a prime candidate to get another goal.
The Czech striker has formed a formidable partnership with Kelsy and they were both on the scoresheet for Rangers against St Johnstone last weekend.
Finally, add ex-Jambos man James Penrice to take at least one shot in the clash.
The Rangers left-back averages 1.31 shots per game in the Premiership this term, having registered at least one shot in seven of his eight top-flight appearances.
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Key Match Stats
Derek McInnes returns to Tynecastle for the first time since leaving Hearts for Rangers
Rangers are unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions
Hearts have lost two of their last three games, 2-0 to Trabzonspor and 7-1 to Celtic
Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings of these sides
Rangers defeated St Johnstone 4-0 in their most recent outing
Naderi has scored five goals in his last six Premiership games
Ex-Hearts duo Shankland and Devlin are both unavailable through injury
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
