Rangers' Scottish Premiership title hopes suffered a fatal blow as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Tynecastle against league leaders Hearts. Danny Röhl's side took an early lead through Dujon Sterling and looked in complete control, but a second-half comeback from Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland left them seven points off the top with just three games remaining.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd launched a scathing attack on his old club's mentality, questioning their willingness to suffer. "Hearts are at the top of the table and have been for months - you have to expect that you'll have to suffer," Boyd said. "You have to defend properly, dig in. That could've been Rangers today. But they didn't. They allowed Hearts to get back into the game."

Captain James Tavernier's milestone night turned sour as his defending was questioned on both Hearts goals, making his 564th appearance for the club. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton was brutal: "Look at the Rangers captain - that sums him up, his whole time at Rangers. He has the heart the size of a pea. He's bad on both goals, he should react."

Röhl admitted his side were "not in the right positions" and demanded more character. "We cannot just play 45 minutes at the highest level," he said. With an Old Firm clash at Celtic Park up next on Sunday, Rangers face a mountain too steep to climb.