Hearts lead Rangers and Celtic in the title race going into the spring.

A former Hearts star reckons the Jambos have placed one hand on the Premiership title - as Rangers and Celtic are left hoping for mishaps to sustain their own bids.

Kevin Kyle has been watching on as the Jambos launch a sustained title charge, and have now put themselves in a commanding position going into the final nine games of the season. They are five points clear of second-placed Celtic who face Motherwell on Saturday while Rangers in third and six back take on St Mirren this Sunday.

A win at Kilmarnock could see Hearts’ lead at the top of the table grow as large as eight points, with Kyle believing it’s now his ex-side’s to lose. His two-year stint at Tynecastle was sandwiched between stints with Killie and Rangers, and while it won’t be plain sailing between now and May, he reckons many are sold on the idea of glory in Gorgie.

Are Hearts title race favourites?

Kyle told Go Radio: “It's theirs to lose, absolutely 100% correct. When you actually break down the fixtures that are left though, and then chuck the split in. Hearts have got to play Rangers, Celtic, Motherwell twice and then your greatest rivals in Hibs, who, all credit to David Gray, they've started picking up results.

“See if you actually go into the season, every club will be the same in that top five, but if you look at some of the results where Hibs have drew, where they've been leading and lost or lost the last minute, they also could have been in the mix. So they're not going to give up a fight because they might have that idea, we might just sneak in. If everybody starts beating everybody, we might sneak in and get a European spot. So Hearts have nine games the same as Celtic and Rangers, they're not going to be easy.

“I was invited down for Saturday night but I have had to change the plans, Kilmarnock are fighting for their lives trying to avoid that play-off spot. Neil McCann, former Hearts player, you don’t know. Kilmarnock are fighting for their lives. Hearts go down there and get a draw, Celtic beat Motherwell at home, you go into the Saturday night and it’s three points of a difference. Rangers win and they’re four points behind. There is so much to play for.

How do Rangers and Celtic feel about Hearts in title race?

Kyle then responded to talk from Rangers boss Danny Rohl that ‘six points in football goes quick, it could be two matchdays, and then we will speak in a different way.’ Amid talk of fighting to go again, Kyle reckons the Rangers boss is clinging on to hope of dropped points for the Jambos.

The former striker added: “He says you'll see the type of person while he sounds absolutely miserable as hell. Ge's talking about getting six points. That's him expecting Hearts to drop six points. So that's alright saying you'll get six points, but if Hearts get six points, it's still just going to be six points behind.

“I like the positivity from him trying to encourage that he's going to keep going and they're going to succeed but Celtic and Rangers are both in the same boat. They're relying on other teams to take points off of Hearts to give themselves a chance.”