It's very early in the season, yes, but the next 23 days could be a defining period for Steven Gerrard and Rangers.

Over the next three weeks, they face four Premiership fixtures, a Europa League double-header with Porto, and a League Cup semi-final against Hearts. BBC Scotland's Stefan Bienkowski has been taking a look at what they need to do to come out of that period feeling good about themselves. Read here.

Coverage of the build-up to the game at Tynecastle has just started on BBC Radio Scotland.

Liam McLeod provides the live commentary, with expert analysis from former Rangers striker Billy Dodds and former Hearts and Rangers winger Neil McCann.

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Following in the footsteps of Andrew Robertson and Kieran Tierney, Aaron Hickey is the latest Scottish left-back to be wooed by top English clubs.

One newspaper this week suggested that Manchester City hope to sign the 17-year-old in January are loan him back to Hearts, while this morning it was suggested that Queens Park Rangers were considering a £1.5m offer.

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Hearts' dramatic comeback win over rivals Hibernian last month was supposed to be a turning point for them after a painfully slow start to the season. They have since progressed to the semi-finals of the League Cup, but in the Premiership they have drawn with St Mirren and lost to Kilmarnock without scoring a single goal.

A poor performance today and the pressure on manager Craig Levein will ramp up once more. Remember, the week before that Edinburgh derby win fans protested outside Tynecastle after a loss to Motherwell. Levein will know all too well similar scenes might not be far away if things don't improve.

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All the statistics suggest Rangers will win at Tynecastle.

Steven Gerrard's side are seeking a seventh consecutive league victory, while Hearts have yet to win after four home league games this season.

Rangers have won their last seven games against Hearts - including their last three at Tynecastle.

However, although Rangers have won all three of their away league games this season, they lost on their last trip out of Glasgow - to Young Boys in the Europa League.

And Hearts will look to their own League Cup win at home to Aberdeen on penalties for a crumb of comfort.

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Once upon a time, Tynecastle was a bit of a fortress. Ask players who've played in Scotland their favourite away ground in terms of atmosphere and many will say it's the one on Gorgie Road.

But, in recent times, it's been far from a fortress for Hearts. They've not won at home since March. That's a run of seven games without a win. Can they turn their fortunes around today?

Striker Uche Ikpeazu's goalscoring record at Hearts is far from prolific. However, he does have a habit of popping up with a goal when it matters most, as our man Stefan Bienkowski details here.

Will he pop up again with a crucial goal this afternoon?

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Jermain Defoe finds himself back on Rangers' bench, but he could yet have a say in the outcome of the game considering he has a thing against teams starting with an H.

His two hat-trick this season have come against Hibernian and Hamilton Academical and, while playing in England and Scotland, the on-loan Bournemouth man has scored 15 goals in his 11 starts against teams beginning with H. Three of them were hat-tricks and he has scored at least once in his last eight such starts in a row.

The former England striker has certainly belied his 37 years this season - scoring nine goals in just seven league appearances. That's an average of one goal every 39 minutes and one more than he managed in 21 league matches in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership combined last season.

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Celtic's thumping 6-0 defeat of Ross County yesterday put them a point clear of Rangers after Steven Gerrard's side went two points clear at the summit before the international break.

A win, or a score draw will take them back to the top. It's still very early days, but a good win at Tynecastle would send a message that the Ibrox side are in this for the long haul this term.

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A hat-trick against Hamilton Accies last time out has not saved veteran on-loan Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe from being dropped to the bench in favour of Alfredo Morelos.

In addition to that change up front, Joe Aribo is back in midfield after winning his second cap for Nigeria, while Nikola Katic returns to central defence in place of George Edmundson days after signing a new contract.

Forward Greg Stewart drops to the bench, where he has company from Ryan Kent, the former Liverpool winger making his first appearance in the squad since picking up an injury against Livingston on 14 September.

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Uche Ikpeazu returns to start up front for Hearts, but there is no place for Peter Haring despite hints that the influential Austrian would also make a comeback from injury.

Former Leeds United left-back Aidy White comes into the side along with Australia midfielder Oliver Bozanic.

Dropping to the bench after Hearts' 1-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock last time out are defender Clevid Dikamona and midfielder Andy Irving, while former Cardiff City man Loic Damour misses out after having to go off after 27 minutes of that game.

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Hearts: Pereira, Smith, White, Berra, Bozanic, Clare, Mulraney, Whelan, Ikpeazu, Hickey, Meshino

Substitutes: Doyle, MacLean, Brandon, Dikamona, Keena, Irving, Henderson

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Katic, Goldson, Barisic, Kamara, Davis, Aribo, Arfield, Ojo, Morelos

Substitutes: Foderingham, Helander, Polster, Halliday, Stewart, Kent, Defoe

It's Hearts versus Rangers at Tynecastle this lunchtime as two of Scotland's biggest clubs go head to head. The hosts are looking to kick their season into gear after a slow start, while Rangers can restore their lead at the top with a win. We'll have coverage here, and there's radio coverage at the top of the page from midday.

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