Former Hearts boss Jim Jefferies has claimed that both Celtic and Rangers are not as good as they were and thinks that it is perhaps the perfect opportunity for the Jambos to push for the league title.

Craig Levein’s side have been the runaway leaders so far this season and are yet to taste defeat in their first seven league games of the Scottish Premiership campaign.




However, the Jambos will now enter a testing run of fixtures, starting with their trip to Ibrox this afternoon as they aim to extend their stay at the top of the table.

Jefferies, who started his playing career at Hearts and went on to become their manager, claimed that both Celtic and Rangers are not as good as they were in the past and insisted that it is the perfect opportunity for Hearts to take advantage.
 


“Celtic and Rangers aren’t anywhere near as good as they were”, Jefferies told the Evening Times.

“They don’t have the same quality of player. There has never been a better chance for Hearts, or even Hibs or Aberdeen, to challenge them.

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“Rangers are on the way back and there has been great improvement there, but they don’t have the Gascoignes and the Laudrups that Walter [Smith] had and just aren’t at the same level.

"We had those players to contend with.

“There is more pressure on Hearts now because people are tipping them to win something.

“Can they win the league? The games they have coming up will tell us that.

“It has been no surprise they have won the games they have, other than against Celtic. It is a massive game this weekend.

“If they get a win they will take great confidence from it. I think this will be a good pointer for the rest of the season.

“They have hard games coming up after it. But if they are still there after them then they can be considered challengers.”

Hearts have also secured a place in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, where they will face holders Celtic at Murrayfield in Edinburgh later this month.