Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Rangers v Hearts

Sunday 20 December 2026, 14:30 · Ibrox Stadium · Round 19

Forecast

RangersHearts
Expected goals1.891.01
Win58%19%
Expected Points1.960.81
Clean sheet36%15%

Rangers 58%Draw 23%Hearts 19%

Most likely score 1–1, 11%. Both sides score 54%.

Hearts goalsRangers goals0123456+0123456+6%5%3%5%2%5%2%6%6%3%1%3%3%1%1%1%10%11%10%10%

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

Rangers

  1. D2–217 OctDundee FC (A)xG 1.80–1.77
  2. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  3. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  5. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  6. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00

Hearts

  1. L1–718 OctCeltic (A)xG 1.20–4.23
  2. W5–010 OctSt. Mirren (H)xG 3.43–0.68
  3. D1–119 SepKilmarnock (A)xG 1.92–0.39
  4. L1–215 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.79–2.14
  5. W2–16 SepDundee FC (H)xG 1.93–0.42
  6. W3–13 SepHibernian (A)xG 0.86–1.47

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

RangersHearts
Position2nd3rd
Played99
Won, drawn, lost6–⁠2–⁠15–⁠1–⁠3
Points20 (2.22 per game)16 (1.78 per game)
Expected Points per game1.981.70
Goals13–⁠720–⁠15
xG per game2.13–⁠1.101.93–⁠1.54
Home: points, xG per game2.25, 2.60–⁠1.203.00, 2.44–⁠0.74
Away: points, xG per game2.20, 1.75–⁠1.030.80, 1.52–⁠2.18
ManagerDerek McInnes (9)Wouter Vrancken (9)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackRangers1.90, 2ndHearts1.52, 3rdDefence (lower is better)Rangers1.00, 2ndHearts1.16, 3rd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctRangers attack: 1.90Hearts attack: 1.521.901.52HeartsRangersDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctRangers defence: 1.00Hearts defence: 1.161.161.00

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

RangersHearts
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play+41%−42%+6%average
Counter-attacks+8%+3%−20%−10%
Set pieces+29%−16%+32%+4%
Penalties+14%−43%+129%−43%
Headers+26%−26%−14%+40%
Left side+14%−22%+41%+6%
Centre+56%−28%+13%+15%
Right side+18%−41%−35%−30%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdHearts concededLeft side+14%−30%Centre+56%+15%Right side+18%+6%Open play+41%averageCounter-attacks+8%−10%Set pieces+29%+4%Headers+26%+40%

Hearts attacking

Hearts createdRangers concededLeft side+41%−41%Centre+13%−28%Right side−35%−22%Open play+6%−42%Counter-attacks−20%+3%Set pieces+32%−16%Headers−14%−26%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

RangersHearts

2.13xG1.93
1.10xG against1.54
55%Possession54%
20.2Shots17.1
9.6Shots against10.4
6.6Shots on target5.3
2.8Big chances2.6
38.4Touches in the opposition box29.7
452Passes455
80%Pass accuracy80%
7.2Corners6.9
60%Field tilt59%
47.5Final-third entries38.2
18.6Box entries16.5
11.4Passes per defensive action12.1

Per league match this season before kick-off. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level472.071.41
Ahead321.950.74
Behind112.910.83

Hearts

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level211.751.55
Ahead412.011.30
Behind281.951.87

xG by period

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.310.193–1
16–300.430.131–0
31–450.420.323–3
46–600.340.152–0
61–750.290.191–1
76–900.330.143–2

Hearts

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.290.164–3
16–300.250.102–2
31–450.510.355–3
46–600.340.283–3
61–750.200.132–1
76–900.330.514–3

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 9Sterling 7Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 9Godfrey 1Makhanya 7Rommens 1Penrice 7Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 7Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 6Diomande 1Curtis 3Bouanani 2Kim 2Kim 4Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 8Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 3Naderi 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-1-4-1 (1), 4-4-1-1 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

Hearts

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTReus 9Altena 8Borchgrevink 1McCart 5McEntee 4Fagan-Walcott 2Findlay 6Milne 1McCart 2Kingsley 2Milne 2Magnússon 3McEntee 2Ageu 1Mendy 7Spittal 3Renaud 1Miller 6Kerjota 3Braga 7Guendouz 1Ba-Sy 1McPake 8Miller 1Wilson 6Braga 2Ba-Sy 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-4-2 (2), 4-4-1-1 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
4 May 2026Hearts2–1RangersxG 0.76–0.82
15 February 2026Rangers4–2HeartsxG 2.51–0.40
21 December 2025Hearts2–1RangersxG 1.70–2.33
13 September 2025Rangers0–2HeartsxG 1.11–2.37
16 February 2025Hearts1–3RangersxG 2.61–1.58
10 November 2024Rangers1–0HeartsxG 2.17–0.59

19 league meetings since 2020/21: Rangers won 12, Hearts won 3, and 4 were drawn. Goals 42–17 and xG 2.21–1.02 per game.

Key players

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi5546410.650.15
Kim6487000.400.13
Gassama8646020.310.17
Raskin7595100.190.11

Hearts

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Miller8589310.460.13
Braga9726320.470.10
McPake8610350.210.23
Mendy8672300.180.07

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.