It is easy to look upon this mouthwatering week in prospect as a real acid test for Hearts.
It’s arguably more the case, though, for Rangers and their head coach Danny Rohl.
The Jam Tarts, still top of the pile with just 13 games to go, face a right couple of ripsnorters at home to Edinburgh rivals Hibs and then away at Ibrox next Sunday.
They need to do better than they did in losing at St Mirren midweek. The failed attempts to recruit a striker at the end of the transfer window also place greater demands on Pierre Landry Kabore and make you wonder whether even those inside the club are convinced he really has the minerals to be the main man in the absence of the injured Lawrence Shankland.
The fact big signings remain on the bench and McInnes is hammering away at creating some kind of siege mentality around the assertion that ‘three-quarters of the country’ are delighted to see them lose conjures up other questions that will surely be answered in due course.
It’s brilliant. Hearts have been brilliant. And it would be brilliant if they can keep going and take this title race all the way to the wire.
Danny Rohl suffered defeat when his side last faced Hearts and still has much to prove at Ibrox
Rangers’ domestic form has been impressive since their defeat to Hearts in December
Derek McInnes’ side have won both encounters against Rangers in this remarkable season
Whilst McInnes appears focused on criticisms from outside, though, Rohl took issue this week with grumblings from within. He expressed surprise at his own fans jeering at half-time during the 5-1 win over Kilmarnock as a result of a pretty nondescript first half.
The German has done little wrong since picking up the mess left by Russell Martin back in October, but his remarks offered the first real hint that he might still have a little bit of learning to do about his new environment in Glasgow.
Ibrox chairman Andrew Cavenagh put his money where his mouth is during the transfer window. The best part of £12million was laid out on permanent deals for Ryan Naderi, Tuur Rommens and Tochi Chukwuani and the loan move for Andreas Skov Olsen didn’t come cheaply either.
That’s a big, big outlay for the January market and was clearly sanctioned because Cavenagh senses the title is up for grabs.
Hearts have less in the way of resources and are seeing suspensions and injuries start to bite while Celtic are, frankly, all over the place as a club.
There’s a real chance for Rangers here — a largely unexpected one — and their supporters detect it. Their frustrations midweek were surely down to seeing a collection of players who have failed to take so many opportunities in the past threatening to miss the mark again.
Rangers have spent big in bringing the likes of Danish star Andreas Skov Olsen to the club
That won’t ease as the heightened atmosphere around the title race grows and the seven days ahead are going to be huge.
If Rohl’s side lose to Motherwell on Wednesday, who’s to say the Steelmen are not title contenders in this crazy campaign too? They haven’t spent well north of £10m to bolster the squad mid-season, though, and that places extra expectation on Rangers to get a result.
Then, it is Hearts at home. Thumped twice by the Tynecastle outfit already this season, a third defeat at their hands would be a serious blow. That Ibrox crowd will expect their team to lay down a marker.
Cavenagh’s January splurge has changed the temperature at Rangers, you see. If they are going to clinch a title, these are games they really have to win.
All of a sudden, Rohl has found himself faced with the expectation of silverware from a season that initially looked like little more than a salvage mission. He’s been backed to the hilt and it’s on him to deliver.
