Robbie Neilson insists Rangers win will have no baring on cup final as he gives injury update on three Hearts stars

Robbie Neilson insists Rangers’ 3-1 victory in the final league game of the season won’t have an impact on the result in next weekend’s Scottish Cup final.

The Ibrox side travelled to Tynecastle with a reserve side that got gradually younger as the match went on. In spite of this, the visitors won 3-1 with goals from Cedric Itten, Alex Lowry and Cole McKinnon after Peter Haring had put the hosts in front.

On the surface it doesn’t seem like ideal preparation for the match at Hampden Park next weekend, though Neilson insists it’ll be a very different fixture when the sides meet at the national stadium.

“I don’t think it matters too much,” he said. “They made 10 changes and we made six. So that’s only six players who played in the game who would play next week. It’s about coming back on Monday and getting ourselves on it so we’re ready for Saturday.

Liam Boyce receives treatment before being forced off during the first half during Hearts' defeat to Rangers at Tynecastle. Picture: SNS

“I thought it was one of those games with an end-of-season feel about it. There was no real intensity to the game to be honest with you. That was the disappointment for us. Yes, we’re trying to get guys as fit as we can get them for next week but there are two sides of it. There’s disappointment about the performance but also we kind of expected it a little bit with the rustiness of some of them coming back into the game."

Neilson also provided an update on three injury concerns to his Hearts squad. While it was heartening to see John Souttar and Craig Halkett return for some match action prior to the final, Liam Boyce was forced off early while Ellis Simms and Peter Haring were also withdrawn as precautions.

“It was just a tight groin,” Neilson said of Boyce. “He thinks it’s just a tightness. That’s all it is. As soon as there was any issue we just got him off. There’s no point in taking any risks. Ellis was a wee bit, Peter Haring was a wee bit, just getting them wee knocks.”

“Hopefully those two (Simms and Haring) will be fine. Liam will just be dependant on the next day or two if it is just a tightness.”

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