By Mark Pirie

Copyright dailyrecord

It was a night of drama under the Tynecastle lights – and it has Hearts fans dreaming of what comes next. Craig Halkett was the hero for the Jambos in injury time as they saw off Hibs in the Edinburgh derby to fire themselves five points clear of Celtic at the Scottish Premiership summit. The pressure now swings onto Brendan Rodgers’ side as they face a tricky trip to Fir Park on Sunday – as they look to reel in Derek McInnes’ flying side. Things are even worse for Russell Martin’s Rangers as they languish in eighth spot in the table going into Sunday’s clash with Falkirk. They face an uphill battle to catch Hearts with the Gorgie men already holding a 12 point advantage over the Light Blues. It was a Saturday night blockbuster that got everyone talking – and some former Rangers and Celtic players worried. Jubilant former Hearts star Ryan Stevenson refused to get carried away – but reckons that both Rangers and Celtic will now have to “deal with” pressure from the Jambos after a flying start to the season. He told BBC Sportsound: “Clean sheets are everything, because you can go and build on it. This is what I’ve been saying about Derek – he wants to keep clean sheets, and he wants to be hard to beat. “They will go and assess the game – but to be putting pressure onto Celtic, who we said it’s a sticky game for them tomorrow, if you are a Hearts player you are sitting there tomorrow thinking ‘it doesn’t get any better’. “It will be good to see how they deal with it – let’s not think about the end of the season, let’s not think about Christmas – think about tomorrow. “Can the players who play for Glasgow Celtic deal with the pressure of being given points behind? When was the last time that happened? Years and years ago. Can Rangers deal with the situation they are in? Fair play to every player and staff in that dressing room. Let’s see what you have got Celtic.” Concerned former Rangers man Thomson reckons that Hearts still have to prove long-term that they have title credentials – but if the Glasgow giants keep stumbling this term the door is open. He told BBC Sportsound: “His (Derek McInnes) team are resilient. They have a good mentality. When you have the make up as a team that can keep on going, it gives you a real good chance to have a successful season. “They should be getting excited (the fans). I think you have to be optimistic and I think the Old Firm should be worried. Tony Bloom has been successful everywhere he has went – my only thing is you can’t underestimate how difficult it is to go and win seven, eight games in a row and be contenders for the title. “Is this Hearts team capable of doing it? They might be, but it’s a tough ask. The Old Firm keep cutting themselves by the throat and are their own worst enemy. From a Hearts perspective, if I was a fan I would be getting carried away.” Former Rangers hero Hutton reckons that internally McInnes and his players will be talking about the prospect of a title triumph – and reckons they will surpass the early-season run by Aberdeen last season. He said: “It’s there for the fans to go and get excited and think about that long term. Derek McInnes and his players might be saying it behind closed doors to one another, but I think out there in the media I think it will be ‘take stock during the international break and continue to go again’ – because they have got a really good squad. “I think the team they have just now is better than the Aberdeen team that went on that long run. If anybody can keep it up I think they can.” The former Celtic man reckons that Hearts’ last-gasp win over their city rivals shows they have the “mentality” for a scrap at the top of the table this term. He told Premier Sports: “We are only seven games in, but there are going to be games where you need to score in the last five minutes, you need to score a late equaliser away from home – big moments when you are top of the league knowing Celtic are coming up tomorrow, or Rangers when they start getting better – you would imagine – when the pressure is on. “That is what the mentality is to win leagues and finish second ahead of Celtic and Rangers. They showed they can do it today, but can they do it over the course of 38 games?” Former Hearts’ midfielder Stewart reckons that Celtic WON’T be panicked at this stage of the season – but Rangers will be. Asked by Premier Sports commentator Rory Hamilton if Celtic will be concerned, he said: “Not at this stage – I think there is a long way to go. I think the more realistic thing is – and Tony Bloom said this – looking towards second in the table. That is certainly something Hearts should be looking at this season.” Pressed on Rangers, he added: “I think they will be nervous, because there house is not in order at all, whereas everything here is lining up nicely.”