Saved by Chermiti: Rohl must drop Rangers star who lost 100% tackles

closed the gap at the top of the to just two points after a pulsating 4–2 victory over at on Sunday.

The Light Blues remain second in the table, sitting one point above their Glasgow rivals, and now firmly within striking distance of the league leaders following the crucial win over the Jam Tarts.

The standout performer for Danny Rohl’s side was , who delivered a sensational hat-trick to secure all three points.

The Portugal Under-21 international had endured a six-match goal drought in all competitions since his brace against Celtic, making his explosive return to form even more timely.

Chermiti has shown a habit of delivering on the biggest stages, with five of his seven league goals coming against Celtic and Hearts. Once again, he proved decisive when it mattered most at Ibrox.

Rangers’ standout performers vs Hearts

It would be difficult to award Chermiti anything less than a perfect 10/10 rating. The former Everton striker effectively decided the contest himself, registering his first senior career hat-trick and also contributing to the opener with a header that forced a save.

Remarkably clinical, Chermiti converted three goals from chances totalling just 1.13 expected goals, underlining his ruthless finishing. He also won 14 of his 26 duels, adding physical dominance to his attacking output.

He was not the only Ranger to impress, however. January arrivals and both delivered encouraging performances. Chukwuani, in particular, excelled in midfield, winning eight of his ten ground duels in a commanding display from the former Sturm Graz man.

Up front, partnered Chermiti and showed flashes of promise. He went close before Hearts’ opening own goal but ultimately failed to get off the mark in the league.

Despite the many positives in a vital title-race victory, one Rangers player may have played his way out of the starting XI ahead of the upcoming clash with Livingston.

Rangers’ weakest performer vs Hearts

Chermiti’s heroics masked several below-par performances, including that of . While his struggles did not cost Rangers points on the day, they may still cost him his place.

Sterling found himself overmatched by Alexandros Kyziridis, losing his only attempted tackle, committing three fouls in just 58 minutes, and winning only three of seven ground duels. In total, he recorded as many fouls as defensive actions, highlighting his difficulties.

His attacking contribution was also minimal, failing to create a single chance for teammates. By contrast, club captain , introduced in the 58th minute, created more chances in his cameo than Sterling managed across nearly an hour.

With Tavernier—who already has seven league goals this season—alongside Max Aarons and Oliver Antman all competing for the right-back role, standards are high. Sterling’s display against Hearts fell short of what is required.

As Rangers prepare to face Livingston, it would be no surprise to see changes at right-back, with Sterling’s performance unlikely to earn him a starting berth after Sunday’s struggles.