Heart Of Midlothian vs Rangers: Predictions, Betting odds, Lineups, Preview

Explore Coral's detailed preview for Heart Of Midlothian vs Rangers in the Premiership. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 13:30 GMT match.

• Fixture: Heart Of Midlothian vs Rangers
• Date: Sunday, 21 December 2025
• Kick-off: 13:30 GMT
• Venue: Tynecastle Park

Hearts come into this match with strong momentum, having secured victories against Falkirk and Celtic in their recent outings. Their solid defensive performances, coupled with the attacking threat posed by Shankland, suggest they could pose a significant challenge to Rangers. The predicted 4-2-3-1 formation should allow them to maintain a balanced approach, with the midfield trio of Kyziridis, Magnusson, and Braga providing creativity and support to Shankland up front.

Rangers, on the other hand, have shown resilience with wins against Hibernian and Kilmarnock, but their recent draws indicate some inconsistency. The absence of several key players due to injuries might affect their performance, yet their predicted 4-1-4-1 formation could provide a solid base to build from. With players like Curtis and Aarons in midfield, Rangers have the potential to control the game and create scoring opportunities. However, Heart Of Midlothian's current form might just edge them ahead in what promises to be a closely contested match.

Match Prediction: Heart Of Midlothian 2-1 Rangers

Heart Of Midlothian have been in impressive form recently, securing back-to-back wins against Falkirk and Celtic, both away from home. These victories will undoubtedly boost their confidence heading into this match against Rangers. Their ability to draw against Kilmarnock and Motherwell shows their resilience, although the loss to Aberdeen might serve as a reminder to stay focused. Overall, their recent results suggest they are in good shape and likely to perform well.

Recent Premiership Results:

• Win: 2-0 vs Falkirk (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Celtic (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Kilmarnock (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Motherwell (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Aberdeen (A)

Rangers have had a mixed bag of results lately, with wins against Hibernian and Kilmarnock, but also draws against Dundee Utd and Falkirk. Their victory over Livingston at home shows they can be strong on their own turf. However, the draws indicate some inconsistency that they will need to address. With several players out due to injuries, Rangers will need to rely on their depth and tactical nous to secure a positive result against a confident Hearts side.

Recent Premiership Results:

• Win: 1-0 vs Hibernian (H)

• Win: 3-0 vs Kilmarnock (A)

• Draw: 2-2 vs Dundee Utd (A)

• Draw: 0-0 vs Falkirk (H)

• Win: 2-1 vs Livingston (H)

The head-to-head record between Hearts and Rangers shows a competitive rivalry. Hearts secured a convincing 2-0 victory in their most recent encounter on 13 Sep 2025, while Rangers won 3-1 in their previous meeting on 16 Feb 2025. The earlier matches were closely contested, with a 1-0 win for Rangers on 10 Nov 2024, a goalless draw on 03 Aug 2024, and a thrilling 3-3 draw on 18 May 2024. This pattern suggests that both teams are capable of producing exciting and unpredictable results.

Recent Premiership Results

• Rangers 0-2 Heart Of Midlothian (13 Sep 2025)

• Heart Of Midlothian 1-3 Rangers (16 Feb 2025)

• Rangers 1-0 Heart Of Midlothian (10 Nov 2024)

• Heart Of Midlothian 0-0 Rangers (03 Aug 2024)

• Heart Of Midlothian 3-3 Rangers (18 May 2024)

• Pierre Kabore (International Duty) - Out

• Ageu (Hamstring) – Doubt

• Beni Baningime (Muscle) – Doubt

• Finlay Pollock (Hamstring) – Doubt

• Calem Nieuwenhof (Hamstring) – Doubt

• Nasser Djiga (International Duty) - Out

• Nedim Bajrami (Hamstring) – Doubt

• Oliver Antman (Leg) – Out

• Bailey Rice (Muscle) – Out

• Derek Cornelius (Muscle) – Out

• John Souttar (Muscle) – Doubt

• Rabbi Matondo (Knee) – Doubt

• Predicted lineup: Schwolow (GK), Steinwender (DF), Halkett (DF), Findlay (DF), Milne (DF), McEntee (MF), Devlin (MF), Kyziridis (MF), Magnusson (MF), Braga (MF), Shankland (AT)

Hearts are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Schwolow in goal and a back four of Steinwender, Halkett, Findlay, and Milne. This setup should provide a solid defensive foundation, allowing McEntee and Devlin to anchor the midfield and support the attacking quartet of Kyziridis, Magnusson, Braga, and Shankland.

• Predicted lineup: Butland (GK), Sterling (DF), Nsiala (DF), Fernandez (DF), Meghoma (DF), Barron (MF), Aarons (MF), Diomande (MF), Moore (MF), Curtis (MF), Chermiti (AT)

Rangers are likely to deploy a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Butland between the posts and a defensive line of Sterling, Nsiala, Fernandez, and Meghoma. This formation should allow Barron to sit deep in midfield, providing a shield for the defence, while Aarons, Moore, Diomande, and Curtis can push forward to support Chermiti up top.

• Shankland vs Fernandez: Shankland's goal-scoring prowess will be tested against the defensive solidity of Fernandez.

• Devlin vs Aarons: Devlin's midfield control will be crucial against the dynamic play of Aarons.

• Magnusson (Hearts): Magnusson's creativity in midfield will be key for Heart Of Midlothian's attacking plays.

• Curtis (Rangers): Curtis's ability to dictate the tempo from the left flank will be vital for Rangers.

Heart Of Midlothian vs Rangers at 13:30 GMT on Sunday, 21 December 2025 is being broadcast live for viewers in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR

Coral is predicting that the score will be Heart Of Midlothian 2-1 Rangers in this match

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