Championship featured game

The top two in the Championship meet on Saturday, when leaders Hearts take on Rangers at a sold-out Tynecastle – live on BT Sport at 12.45pm.

The Edinburgh club hold a six-point advantage and are unbeaten in the league this season while their opponents are yet to taste defeat away from home.

Dumbarton manager Ian Murray is well placed to discuss the strengths of both sides, having faced Hearts twice and Rangers three times already this season.

The Sons boss said: “Hearts have scored 35 goals but only conceded seven. That is a really strong record when you consider they have gone to Ibrox already and played in two Edinburgh derbies, which are very difficult games. Having been to Ibrox and Easter Road and not lost they have the armoury to handle tough games.”

Murray, who celebrated two good years in charge of Dumbarton this week, saw how strong Hearts are last month in a Championship game and he said: “They beat us 5-1 at Tynecastle. They scored two late goals that took the shine off what had been a decent performance from my players but they did deserve to win.”

The first meeting between Dumbarton and Hearts was different, with Murray saying: “We were the first team to take points off Hearts in a goalless draw at our place. It is a game that we could have won as we had a couple of half chances late on. Don’t get me wrong, Hearts have the quality to beat you at your own place and it was good to get a point but it could have been better.”

As for Rangers, Murray said: “We have played Rangers three times this season, including twice in the one week recently at the Bet Butler. The first game was a 3-0 win for them and it was deserved, as was their 4-1 success at Ibrox earlier in the season.

“On their day, Rangers have the squad that can beat anyone but when they are not fully on their game you have a chance.  In the Scottish Cup tie recently we lost 1-0 but it could have been different.

“Alloa getting a point at Ibrox last week showed that Rangers are not as consistent as Hearts.  This game will be a sell-out at Tynecastle and Hearts fans will be expecting a win but it may not work out that way.

“There is a six-point gap, which ironically is the swing from the first game of the season as they would be sitting level if Rangers had won that one. I would imagine Rangers would be happy to win this game and have the gap at three points at Christmas as they will fancy their chances in the run-in. It is therefore a massive game for them to win at the weekend.”

Dumbarton host Hibernian, with Murray looking for his side to keep climbing away from the foot of the table with a win.

He added: “This league is really tight. At the moment we are seventh but at half-time last Saturday we were bottom. Livingston were beating us and Cowdenbeath were winning at Raith.

“We came back to win and so did Raith Rovers so we actually moved up the table but it just shows that you cannot take anything for granted. You cannot predict any game.”

Craig Stewart