Philippe Clement attributed Rangers’ 3-1 victory over Hearts, which alleviated some of the pressure on the manager, to his team having “the right mentality.”

However, the Belgian may owe just as much to goalkeeper Jack Butland’s heroics, a dose of luck, and the unfortunate deflections off Hearts defender Jamie McCart that secured the three points for Rangers at Tynecastle.

Despite the win, the performance did little to sway the opinions of pundits who were stunned to see Clement still in charge after Rangers’ shocking Scottish Cup exit to Queen’s Park.

Many view this result as merely a “stay of execution” for the 50-year-old manager.

Hearts not only contributed two of Rangers’ three goals—both deflections off McCart—but also created the majority of the game’s chances.

Home head coach Neil Critchley was left “scratching my head” at the final scoreline, given his side’s dominance.

So, what does this mean for Clement and Rangers?

McCart’s Misfortune and Rangers’ Resilience

Rangers’ victory, coupled with Celtic’s win over Dundee United, means the gap between the two sides remains at 13 points in the Scottish Premiership.

Clement emphasized that his players’ reaction to their recent cup disappointment showed the “right mentality” and the necessary “fight” to secure a win at a challenging venue like Tynecastle.

“The team showed the right mentality as a group,” Clement said. “They dug in and took the right moments against a Hearts team that went all-out for victory with an offensive style and quality attacking players.”

While Clement highlighted John Souttar and Cyriel Dessers having goals disallowed for offside, he acknowledged that the performance fell short of the “top quality” seen in Rangers’ best games.

Notably, Rangers’ expected goals (xG) of 1.61 paled in comparison to Hearts’ 2.91, underscoring the home side’s dominance in chances created.

Hearts’ Frustration

Critchley expressed his disbelief at the result, stating that the 3-1 scoreline was not “a fair reflection of the game at all.”

He pointed to his team’s superior possession, passing, and chances, lamenting their inability to convert opportunities into goals. Striker Elton Kabangu, who has been in fine form since joining on loan, was left frustrated by Butland’s “magnificent” saves, which kept Hearts at bay.

“It’s not often you play Rangers and have more of the ball, more passes, better chances, and more shots—yet still lose,” Critchley said.

A Stay of Execution?

While the win provides temporary relief for Clement, questions linger about his long-term future at Rangers.

The performance against Hearts did little to dispel doubts, and with Celtic maintaining their relentless form, the pressure on Clement is unlikely to ease anytime soon.

For now, the victory offers a reprieve, but whether it marks a turning point or merely delays the inevitable remains to be seen.

“Many were surprised to see him still in the dugout.”

New chatHearts icon John Robertson expressed frustration over his former team’s inability to convert their chances. “Kabangu had six or seven opportunities,” he remarked on BBC Sportsound.

“Hearts missed three or four clear-cut chances. Butland made four or five crucial saves—some of them were truly outstanding.”

Derek Ferguson, a former midfielder for both Hearts and Rangers, was equally astonished by the match.

“The number of sitters Hearts missed was staggering,” he said. “I’ve seen plenty of Hearts vs. Rangers games, but I can’t recall Hearts creating so many chances against them.

Rangers were a mess defending corners and set-pieces.

On another day, they could have easily conceded multiple goals. They got lucky this afternoon.”

The victory extended Rangers’ winning streak in the league to five games, their best run since a nine-game streak last January-February.

However, former Ibrox youth striker Rory Loy downplayed the significance of the win, calling it merely “a big win” and “impressive only by the low standards Rangers have set recently.”

“Five consecutive wins should be a regular occurrence for a club like Rangers if they want to achieve their ambitions,” Loy said. “Historically, they’ve been capable of such runs, but this season has been far from ideal.”

Loy suggested that Philippe Clement might need to deliver a Europa League triumph to secure his job beyond this season, especially after Rangers’ shocking Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park and their slim chances of catching Celtic in the league.

“I can’t help but feel this is just a stay of execution for Clement,” he said. “Winning the Europa League could change things, but domestically, there’s not much to hold onto.

I was very surprised to see him in the dugout today after last week’s result. It feels like they’re just delaying the inevitable.”

Although Clement left last week’s meeting with chief executive Patrick Stewart confident of the board’s support, Loy believes that retaining the Belgian until the end of the season could foster negativity among both players and fans.

“It doesn’t inspire confidence,” he added. “The longer this uncertainty drags on, the harder it becomes to build any real momentum.”