Rangers manager Danny Rohl has declared his team will be ready to respond when they travel to league leaders Hearts on the May bank holiday Monday, a match that could decide their Scottish Premiership title fate.
After a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Motherwell on Sunday, Rangers now trail Hearts by four points with only four games remaining. A loss at Tynecastle would likely extinguish their championship aspirations, as Hearts have been unbeaten at home this season.
"We will be ready and we will show a reaction," Rohl said. "My job is to lift the group. I will stand in front and lead them. There will be no negativity from my side after one game."
Hearts, managed by Derek McInnes, hold a three-point lead over Celtic and a four-point advantage over Rangers. Celtic could go level on points with Hearts if they beat Hibernian next Sunday, but a Hearts victory against Rangers would leave the Ibrox side six points adrift with three games to go.
Former Hearts defender Allan Preston said: "Hearts could put them out of the title race at Tynecastle, where they're unbeaten this season."
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd added: "Rangers are under huge pressure. They have to go there and win or it's done."
Rangers' defeat to Motherwell was largely self-inflicted, as the visitors played some of their best football of the season in a dominant first half. Rohl made three changes at halftime to spark a fightback, but it was not enough to salvage a result.
The German manager insists the squad has shown resilience in recent weeks and months, and he remains confident they can bounce back. "We showed how strong we are growing as a group," he said. "It's not over."