Well they answered any doubters this afternoon by stretching their lead at the top of the table.
For this tough encounter Alex McLeish switched to a 3-5-2 formation, putting in Marvin Andrews from the start for the first time since August 20 in the league, alongside Julien Rodriguez and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
But an early injury to Nacho Novo forced the manager into a change after just 19 minutes – he was replaced by Francis Jeffers – before Thomas Buffel came on for Rodriguez shortly afterwards in a tactical change.
Tynecastle is never an easy venue, as Rangers have found out in previous seasons, but with Hearts’ recent good form, combined with the fact Gers have only won once on the road this term, it all made for an interesting encounter.
And the match didn’t disappoint. In the opening stages the visitors enjoyed most of the play and after seven minutes Steven Pressley fouled Dado Prso 30-yards out.
Barry Ferguson delivered the free kick and although Andrews broke free to get a header on goal, it rose high over the bar.
60 seconds later the Light Blue skipper dispossessed Julien Brellier to play in Novo. The Spaniard’s shot was blocked, before Ferguson regained possession on the edge of the box, but sliced his effort wide.
With nine minutes on the clock ,however, Olivier Bernard passed up a guilt-edged chance to give his side the lead.
Novo fed in Prso wide on the right and the Croatian delivered a fantastic cross which Bernard met unmarked at the back post. But with plenty of time to take a touch, he opted for a first time header and nodded wide and it proved a costly miss.
In 13 minutes Rudi Skacel crossed for Jankauskas but Waterreus made a great low save to block the Lithuanian’s header, before Rodriguez cleared for a corner.
Paul Hartley took the flag-kick and Roman Bednar rose above everyone to power a header home and give Hearts the lead.
Five minutes later Skacel broke free on left and once again Bednar was unmarked but this time headed over from five-yards out.
Gers then suffered another blow when Novo picked up an ankle injury and while it gives the manager a headache ahead of the Inter match, that was the least of McLeish’s worries after 19 minutes.
Jeffers came on to partner Prso up front and the Light Blues almost drew level after 27 minutes.
Ferguson’s free kick into the Hearts box was inch perfect for Prso, but Craig Gordon was alert and made a fine save to keep the Croatian’s header out.
Buffel’s arrival signalled another change in formation as the visitor’s reverted back to 4-4-2.
Immediately after the restart, Prso raced down the right channel and whipped in a curling cross but Nielson rose ahead of Buffel to clear.
In the 49th minute the Belgian’s flick on found Prso in the box, who in turn knocked the ball down to Jeffers on the edge of the area.
The former Everton striker skipped past Pressley brilliantly but his shot was blocked before it could trouble Gordon.
Hearts hit back when Hartley’s cross was met by Jankauskas but his header blazed over the bar.
Rangers kept plugging away and should have had a penalty when Ferguson was clearly tripped in the box by Hartley, but the captain only received a booking when Kenny Clark felt he had dived.
Two-goal CIS Cup hero Federico Nieto was thrown on after 72 minutes for his SPL debut and had a great chance almost immediately.
Andrews’ ball over the top for Buffel was cut back to the Argentinian but he fired wide from close range.
With six minutes remaining Brellier fouled Jeffers on the edge of the box, but Gordon easily saved Ricksen’s shot from the resultant free kick.
In 88 minutes Nieto collected Ricksen’s ball over the top and fired a low drive into the box, which was met by Jeffers.
His shot goal-ward was clearly blocked by Robbie Nielson’s arm and amazingly – but perhaps unsurprisingly after the debacle which resulted following Gers last penalty at Tynecastle – Clark waved play on.
That was the last real action and Big Eck’s side must now pick themselves up for Wednesday’s massive Champions League clash against Inter Milan.
HEARTS: Gordon; Nielsen, Pressley, Webster, Fyssas (McAllister 32); Brellier, Hartley Camazolla (Wallace 84), Skacel, Bednar (Simmons 27), Jankauskas.
SUBS: Banks, Cesnauskis, Berra, Wallace, Elliot
BOOKINGS: Camazolla 52, Jankauskas 77
RANGERS: Waterreus; Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Rodriguez (Buffel 36); Ricksen, Namouchi (Nieto 73), Ferguson, Murray, Bernard; Prso, Novo (Jeffers 19)
SUBS: Klos, Lowing, Pierre-Fanfan, McCormack
BOOKINGS: Ricksen 62, Ferguson 69
REFEREE: Kenny Clark
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Dado Prso