In the way that we entered the international break, we will also come out of it, with another top of the table clash against a side from Edinburgh.
High flying Hearts are the team visiting Ibrox and, similar to Hibs, they offer a solid game plan with strength throughout the spine, posing a threat that should not be taken lightly.
They have, of course, already seen off Celtic at Tynecastle and deserve their unbeaten record. A defence with Craig Gordon, Michael Smith, Stephen Kingsley, Craig Halkett and John Souttar is as good as there is outside of our own, Ben Woodburn and Barry McKay have big game experience and plenty to prove with Beni Baningime arguably the Premiership player of the season so far.
It’ll be a tough test but one that Steven Gerrard will be looking forward to, although he could have done with Kemar Roofe getting back from representing Jamaica sooner than the day before the game, although his post match recovery has been spent in Honduras rather than on a plane.
This is the team that I think the gaffer will go with as he looks to keep up the pressure across the city and put daylight at the top:
There was a scare about Leon Balogun’s fitness when he came off injured with Nigeria, however, it appears to have just been a precaution, had it not been Hearts, Jack Simpson would probably have come in, but it’s too big a fixture and the veteran’s experience – and superior quality – will be vital.
In midfield, John Lundstram has been our best player recently and should be trusted to start ahead of Steven Davis with Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara looking to find their best form in an important run of games, we, at least, have options off the bench should they be ineffective.
Roofe being delayed and Ryan Kent still being out mean that the front three almost picks itself, it’s just a question of how Gerrard wants to play and whether or not he wants two strikers, the good thing is, Fashion Sakala and Ianis Hagi should both be confident after scoring for their respective countries in the last week.
A repeat of the Hibs performance would be appreciated but, as always, three points is all that matters given the quality of the opposition and the form that they are in, don’t cut your nails, it could be a tense afternoon.