Liam Boyce wasn’t happy with just a point from the Edinburgh derby in midweek.
And the Hearts striker is no longer content going to Glasgow and making up the numbers either.
That type of mentality is why Robbie Neilson’s side are sitting pretty in the Premiership’s third spot.
They’ve already been to Ibrox this term and got a draw thanks to Craig Halkett’s late equaliser.
And Boyce sees no reason why they can’t go one better against Rangers
this afternoon.
The Jambos are in a good place right now and after Gers’ damaging Old Firm defeat on Wednesday night, Neilson’s men might just smell blood.
Boyce, the Tynecastle side’s top scorer, is adamant they’ll turn up in Govan with the sole aim of taking a positive result back to Gorgie.
The Northern Irishman said: “Sunday is massive for us. You know when you’re playing the Old Firm it’s going to be a tough game.
“Rangers have made some good signings but we’ll go there with the mentality we have in every game – which is to win.
“We went there last time and got a draw with a late goal. We controlled the last half hour of that game so hopefully we can take belief from that and start well this time around.
“Beating the Old Firm in Glasgow is the next step for us as a team, 100 per cent. We’ve drawn with Rangers and when we went to Celtic and got beat 1-0, it was an offside goal from Kyogo.
“We were well in that game so know how good we are. We’re confident in the way we play and the players we have now.
“You need to be on your game when you’re playing against the Old Firm – everyone needs to play well then you see how the game pans out.”
Boyce, who has 14 goals from 24 games in all competitions this season, will go up against Rangers centre-back Connor Goldson at Ibrox today.
He rates the former Brighton defender as the best he has faced in Scotland since signing for Hearts in 2020.
It remains to be seen whether Goldson will partner Gers new boy John Souttar at the back next season as the Englishman has yet to sign a new deal at Ibrox.
And Boyce is just delighted that Souttar is still a Hearts player until the summer before making the Bosman switch to Glasgow.
He said: “Since I joined Hearts I’d say Goldson has been the best defender I’ve come up against.
“He’s got everything. Even when Rangers played us at Tynecastle his pass for Joe Aribo’s goal was class.
“A pass like that will always cause you problems and it’s difficult to play against him.
“The way we play is about getting up the pitch and producing movement in the box. You need Goldson not to read what you’re going to do when you get a chance. But when he stops you then you just have to hold your hand up and say he’s defended really well.
“In terms of John, when we were in the Championship we were conceding goals and not playing fluent football.
“But he came in and made our whole backline better.
“That gave everyone around him confidence, we went on a run and it just carried on from there. You want to keep your best players at the club, no matter what. So it’s brilliant for us to have John for the rest of the season.
“His attitude is brilliant, he won’t be distracted by the move to Rangers.
“Even when there’s noise on the outside, he comes into training every day and is the same guy.
“He’s never moped about anything, that’s just the way he is.”
While Souttar is on his way out of Tynecastle, one player who has come in is taking the load off Boyce’s shoulders up front.
On-loan Everton striker Ellis Simms looks to be a good addition for Neilson’s men – despite not being able to convert one of his Edinburgh derby chances on Tuesday night.
Boyce believes he’ll have a big impact beside him in attack. He said: “Ellis has been brilliant so far.
“The runs he makes, you can see he’s on the same wavelength as players like Barrie McKay.
“He’s a really intelligent player and he’s huge. If we get the ball into the box we expect him to win it but he’s not just a target man.
“His movement has been excellent so far and he’s quick as well. Hopefully he continues like that.”
