Scottish Premiership champions and table toppers Rangers will lock horns with second-placed Hearts at Ibrox when they return to action following the international break on 16th October.
A win would see Steven Gerrard’s side extend their lead at the top of the table, while a defeat to the Edinburgh-based club would see them drop down from top spot.
Looking ahead to the game, Hearts legend Mackay has urged the Jambos to stand up to Rangers and suggested that they can cause an upset at Ibrox as he feels the Gers are not firing on all cylinders.
Mackay, who stressed the need for Hearts to express themselves in the game, went on to warn Rangers about his former employers’ increasing quality.
“Hearts have to go to Glasgow and stand up to Rangers“, Mackay wrote in his Edinburgh News column.
“That’s particularly true in the early part of the game.
“If we do that and express ourselves from middle to front, who knows what can happen?
“Rangers aren’t firing on all cylinders right now and we have a quality about us that we haven’t had for a long time.
“A lot of that is down to recruitment and there has probably been quite a bit of money spent in that department.“
Mackay urged Hearts to go to Ibrox with a view to causing an upset, but also emphasised the need for some of the Jambos’ players to be able to adapt to the atmosphere.
“Now we go to Ibrox and try to cause an upset in what should be a real occasion with first against second in the league“, Mackay wrote.
“Some of the Hearts players know the stadium and have played there in big games, but for others it will be new.“
Hearts have been in fine form in the Scottish Premiership this season, winning five and drawing three of their eight games so far, and will be hopeful of keeping their unbeaten run intact when they face Rangers.
