It’s a huge game in the capital as Steven Gerrard takes his undefeated side to Easter Road.
We expected an action packed afternoon at Easter Road after past battles between Rangers and Hibs and it hasn’t disappointed so far.
The Leith side have started the season brilliantly, sit in third place and can join their opponents on 19 points if they win this afternoon.
While the clash doesn’t have the powder keg atmosphere that comes with fans in the stadium, it’s had plenty of spark given what’s at stake at the league’s summit.
After an free-flowing opening 20 minutes where chances fell to both sides, Hibs took the lead on the 22nd minute after a low, drilled finish by Drey Wright.
It was a tidy finish from the winger but it was superb play by Martin Boyle on the other wing that laid the opportunity on a plate.
It is the first goal Rangers have lost this season and for a spell it looked to shake them.
The Ibrox slowly but surely built back into the game and got an equaliser just before half time when a Ryan Kent cross found Alfredo Morelos at the back post and the Colombian made no mistake.
That’s all three of Hibs centre backs now in the book after he chopped down Kent.
Tavernier played a great ball into the feet of Arfield first, and he slid it to Hagi.
The Romanian could have shot himself but thought ahead and took Hibs defence out with a slide back to the midfielder and it was a simple finish.
Barisic wins a free kick out on the left and takes it himself but it comes to nothing.
Tavernier then puts a good ball in down the right hand side but it was well cleared, it came back to him and his second delivery was really poor.
It won’t get much credit because it goes out for a throw in but that was more down to the lack of runners.
It was fizzed across the front of goal into the famed ‘corridor of uncertainty’ from Hagi but Morelos was at the penalty spot and nobody else had made a run for it.
That was some nice build up between Hagi, Morelos and Arfield but McGinn gets back well.
Hagi was angered when he played the pass to Morelos because Gogic just takes him out off of the ball.
There was no attempt to do anything other than stop his run but the referee didn’t have anything to say about it.
Not really pushing forward yet but they are getting on it a bit more than they were early in the first half.
Barisic does well this time up against Boyle and knocks it out for a corner.
George Edmundson and Calvin Bassey appeared to be having a few words with some of the Hibs subs over something that happened at half time.
Rangers haven’t been at their best but get in at the break level, and Hibs will be gutted with that last minute goal.
Drey Wright gave Hibs the lead to end Rangers’ clean sheet record and Kevin Nisbet has been causing all sorts of problems up front.
Rangers struggled to break down their rivals but did eventually manage it in the final 30 seconds of the half.
It’s not been the best performance from the winger but he’s produced a stunning cross to set up that goal.
He lifts it to the back post and Hagi just misses it but it does find Morelos who takes a touch and slams it past Marciano.
Just two minutes left at the end of the first half and Rangers are pushing forward.
Hibs have nearly everyone behind the ball at present as they try to hold on until half time.
They’ve not done a lot of attacking since the goal but they get another corner.
There is an issue though as he’s down and seems to have picked up a knock.
Twice in the last minute Rangers have got into decent positions only for the final pass to be made to no one.
Then on the other side of the box it was Kent to Morelos and out for a goal kick.
Rangers have been so good in attack this season but this Hibs defence is really frustrating them.
It’s for a similar incident as Hagi knocks the ball past him and Hanlon puts his arm right across his face.
He catches him with his elbow and it’s a clear foul and a yellow card.
Porteous shoulders Morelos in the face as he tried to make a run and the caution is probably the right decision.
It was a daft challenge from the centre back and Morelos was smart to go down and not react.
Morelos is down holding his face and Don Robertson has a yellow card out for Ryan Porteous.
He’s been excellent this season but every time he’s on the ball Hibs are crowding him out.
He’s just looking a bit frustrated and Rangers just need to calm down a wee bit in possession.
Hibs are defending brilliantly and you can see why they haven’t conceded from open play this season.
That was a bizarre bit of play there because they played some lovely football to get the ball in the box.
Hagi and Kent linked up really well and when it got back to the former Liverpool winger it seemed certain he would have a crack at goal.
He then beats Barisic and cuts it back to Wright who fires it through the legs of McLaughlin.
It’s came against the run of play a bit but it’s a big test now for Rangers.
He lifted his hands to Kamara’s face but Robertson just has a word with both players.
The striker picked up the ball and hit it on the turn but the keeper gets across to be equal to it.
It’s another great ball in from Barisic and it’s Goldson who is getting on the end of it.
He’s leaning back a bit and can’t quite get enough power on it to cause problems and Marciano saves.
Hibs struggling to get out of their half right now but they are leaving two up front for the chance of a counter attack.
He makes no attempt to get the ball and stands on Ryan Kent’s ankle as the winger plays it away.
He ends up getting a corner though because it goes back out to him and he crosses it in and Porteous heads for a corner when he gets no shout about the space behind him.
Tavernier skipped past Josh Doig on the right hand side and cut it back to Hagi.
He took a touch inside before picking out Arfield and the Canada captain fired towards the bottom corner with venom.
It looked destined for the back of the net before Paul McGinn got his foot in the way to clear.
That’s two good opportunities for Rangers in the last few minutes and that’s something Steven Gerrard has been frustrated about this season – not taking enough of their chances.
Hagi found a bit of space in the middle of the Hibs half but the Easter Road side weren’t giving up any space.
That meant he had to take a long look and the Romanian flighted a delightful ball over the Hibs defence to pick out Kent but he fired it wide of the target.
Rangers starting to grow into this game and getting the ball on the ground a bit more.
