JAMES Tavernier expects Hearts to approach the Ladbrokes Premiership match at Ibrox today with the same intensity as their city rivals Hibernian did last weekend and has urged his team mates to maintain their composure amid the “madness”.
The first meeting between the Glasgow club and their Edinburgh opponents since their infamous Scottish Cup final two years ago was marred by several ugly exchanges before the visitors ran out 3-2 winners.
Yet, Tavernier, the right back who was involved in one of the early flashpoints when Hibs striker Anthony Stokes wrestled him to the ground, expects more of the same when they take on Hearts this afternoon.
The red card which Ryan Jack received from John Beaton may have been rescinded following an appeal freeing up the midfielder to take his place in the Rangers starting line-up.
But Tavernier believes cool heads will be needed from every member of Pedro Caixinha’s new-look side in the meeting with the Tynecastle club and in every game going forward if they are to enjoy a successful campaign.
“We expect certain teams to come at us aggressively,” he said. “Obviously, we knew the Hibs game was going to be like that because of what happened the last time we met in the cup final and everything that went on. We knew it was going to be a tasty game.
“It was just one of those ones when you can get caught up in the madness. You have to be switched on, level-headed and know when to control the situation. When I got fouled I lost my head a little bit.
“It is just one of those games we have got to learn from. We have a good group of lads and we have just got to appreciate that teams are going to try and unsettle us. We have just got to keep level headed.”
“Our tempers went higher than they should have. We should have controlled them a little bit better. But we will learn from that. We have got a good group of lads and if we stick together we’ll learn from that.”
Asked if he expected Hearts to try to antagonise them following the fiery encounter with Hibs, Tavernier said: “Definitely. We had that last season. Every team tried to do the same. We always expected them to try and ruffle us up and make it really hard for us. We don’t expect anything less than that. It will be a tough game against Hearts. They will try the rough game.
“They have got Kyle Lafferty up front, a big, tall target man, so they have got different ways they can get up the pitch. But we’ve got Bruno at the back and we have got really good progressive players who can deal with those situations. It should be a good game.”
Tavernier was disappointed when his team was reduced to 10 men in the first half against Hibs in such controversial circumstances - but he is refusing to use the Jack ordering off as an excuse for the defeat which Rangers suffered.
“Listen, it’s cost us a little bit, but it is one of those things that can happen in a game of football,” he said. “You can’t dwell on these things, the game has gone.
“We were disappointed with some of the decisions that were made, but we have to move on. We have to focus on the next game.
Tavernier added: “I’m not sure what happened with Stokesy to be honest. It maybe looked worse than it actually was.
“The referee calls it, he controls what happens on the pitch. The referee said we’d brought a crowd of players around us and he had no choice but to book us.
“The goals we lost were also disappointing. We should have been marking better. I think it was more individual mistakes than anything else. We need to learn from it, that is clear.
“Playing at home the fans expect us to win. We have to rectify what happened against Hibs against Hearts this weekend. We need to get the three points and move on from there.”
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