Pressure Mounts On Russell Martin As Rangers Slump To Defeat By Hearts

Furious fans again turned connected Russell Martin aft a 2-0 conclusion to Hearts astatine Ibrox near Rangers still looking for their first Premiership triumph aft 5 games.

There were 9 minutes connected nan timepiece erstwhile location supporters began to chant nan sanction of Nicolas Raskin, nan Belgium midfielder near retired of nan squad amid a conflict pinch nan Rangers manager. The crowd collapsed into chants against Martin erstwhile Lawrence Shankland drove nan visitors up successful nan 22nd infinitesimal and they sporadically targeted him during nan remainder of different dismal performance.

Rangers stepped it up successful nan 2nd half but, aft seeing his 82nd-minute punishment saved by Jack Butland, Shankland netted nan rebound for Hearts’ first triumph astatine Ibrox successful 11 years to return them 9 points clear of nan location side.

Martin was not a celebrated assignment successful nan summertime and his standing pinch supporters plummeted further aft 4 successive draws successful nan convention and being bundled retired of nan Champions League qualifiers by Club Brugge 9-1 connected aggregate.

The world break had allowed nan erstwhile Southampton leader to bolster his squad. The Canada defender Derek Cornelius, connected indebtedness from Marseille, and Youssef Chermiti, nan 21-year-old Portuguese attacker who signed from Everton for a reported interest of £8m, started connected nan chair for Rangers, unchanged from a goalless tie against Celtic earlier nan world break, erstwhile they grounded to person a changeable connected goal.

Derek McInnes dropped nan goalkeeper Zander Clark to nan Hearts bench, pinch Alexander Schwolow handed a debut, while defender Stephen Kingsley and winger Alexandros Kyziridis replaced injured Frankie Kent and Blair Spittal respectively.

In nan 4th infinitesimal Craig Halkett headed conscionable complete Butland’s crossbar and nan Rangers goalkeeper saved a thrust from Shankland earlier nan Raskin chants rang information nan stadium.

Shankland recovered much joyousness erstwhile Cláudio Braga slipped successful a delightful walk wrong nan container and he drove crossed Butland and into nan acold area of nan net.

Russell Martin was nan target for unhappy Rangers supporters. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

In nan 37th infinitesimal Schwolow made his first existent prevention erstwhile he tipped a curling changeable from midfielder Thelo Aasgaard connected to nan crossbar and complete and a prevention from Djeidi Gassama was nan past existent action of nan first half which brought boos from nan location fans.

There was nary astonishment that Martin made changes for nan commencement of nan 2nd half pinch Cornelius connected for Nasser Djiga and Oliver Antman replacing Mikey Moore while Joe Rothwell soon took complete from Connor Barron.

There was immoderate improvement. Antman’s changeable drew a prevention from Schwolow, Gassama coiled a changeable against a station and Cornelius headed a area complete nan bar.

Chermiti came connected for Jayden Meghoma successful different reshuffle and nan changes looked to person had nan desired effect erstwhile Cornelius had nan shot successful nan Hearts nett pursuing a melee wrong nan six-yard container but nan referee, Steven McLean, blew for a foul connected Schwolow and nan video adjunct referee concurred.

When Mohamed Diomande pulled down Harry Milne wrong nan Rangers punishment area, McLean pointed to nan spot. Shankland’s effort was saved by Butland but he was first to nan loose shot and slotted in.

Rangers fans departed successful their droves – location was clip for nan Hearts substitute Tomas Magnusson to deed a station – and it is difficult to spot really Martin tin past nan toxicity that has enveloped his short tenure.