Shankland double sinks Rangers as Hearts climb to top after Ibrox victory

Lawrence Shankland scored twice as Hearts extended Rangers' winless start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Ibrox on Saturday, a result that sent the Tynecastle side back to the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Shankland, who converted a rebound after his penalty was initially saved and netted a second goal later in the match, said the result would give an important lift to his teammates, particularly the less experienced players in the squad. "Coming to places like Ibrox and winning builds confidence within the group," he said. "The boys will get a good feeling for it. It will be the first time for some of them to play in that kind of stadium in front of so many people and they will take a lot from it."

Shankland acknowledged controversy over the opening goal, saying the ball struck his arm in the move and admitting: "I'm not going to lie — it hit my arm in the build-up." Rangers manager Russell Martin argued the goal should not have stood, a protest reflected in the ire inside Ibrox that Shankland said Hearts were able to exploit. "When you are at home and you feel that pressure and the crowd are getting frustrated, it does go onto the pitch," he said. "When you come here, you can use that. You'd be daft not to — and going a goal ahead helps."

Hearts manager Derek McInnes applauded his players after the result, which Shankland described as further evidence that the team's performances have been improving. "We had full belief in ourselves going to Ibrox and felt positive," Shankland said. "The confidence has been building over the past few weeks and it felt like everyone was really looking forward to it."

Shankland also reflected on his partnership with forward Claudio Braga, saying the pair "clicked a wee bit" and praising Braga's intelligence and willingness to learn the defensive aspects required of the role. "It is a hard task up there when you have to do so much defensive work and it is a part of the game he's learning, but he did really well and took everything on board we spoke about," Shankland said.

The win further compounded Rangers' difficult start to the campaign, leaving the Glasgow side without a league win at this stage of the season. Shankland referenced the atmosphere inside Ibrox after midfielder Nico Raskin was left out of the Rangers squad, saying the frustration directed at the home side had been apparent and could be used to Hearts' advantage.

Hearts moved to the top of the table with the victory, but Shankland urged focus rather than complacency. "We need to keep building and winning games," he said. "It has been a really good start. There is no denying that."

Rangers and Hearts will both look to address their respective objectives in the coming fixtures, with Hearts seeking to maintain momentum and Rangers aiming to arrest a slow start to the season. Observers noted the result at Ibrox as a significant statement from Hearts as they bid to mount a sustained challenge in the domestic title race.