Inside Rangers dressing debrief from Tynecastle escape act as rollercoaster could still go either way

Stand-in captain Dan Neil reflects on Rangers' 2-2 draw at Hearts, insisting the highs outweigh the lows as McInnes' side prepare for an Aberdeen semi-final at Hampden.

Dan Neil has experienced Rangers' full rollercoaster in just four months at Ibrox, from European exits to back-to-back Old Firm wins and costly mistakes. After Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Tynecastle—where his error contributed to Hearts taking the lead before Olwethu Makhanya's late equaliser rescued a point—Neil acknowledged the performance fell short, particularly in the first half when Rangers lacked control.

Manager Derek McInnes held a squad debrief on Thursday to address the mistakes that handed Hearts the initiative. Neil, wearing the armband in the absence of injured captain Lawrence Shankland (hamstring surgery), praised the team's ability to improve through constant conversation and highlighted positives alongside the negatives. Rangers have now dropped four points from their last six available on the road.

Looking ahead to Sunday's semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden, Neil expressed excitement at captaining the side at the venue and hopes to lead Rangers to the final on December 13. Shankland's return timeline remains uncertain, meaning Neil could retain the armband for the showpiece occasion.