TODAY'S clash between Hearts and Rangers is probably the biggest club match of the season in Scotland so far.

It promises to be an electrifying spectacle. I'm looking forward to taking my place in the commentary booth at the Gorgie ground to describe the action for BT Sport.

It really is too close to call. Hearts have been impressive in the Championship this season and are the only team in Scotland not to lose a league game.

Some of their play has been outstanding. They also have home advantage, which could be significant.

Plus, they will be confident after beating the Gers 2-1 at Ibrox back in August in what was my favourite game of the season so far.

Rangers go into this game on the back of a disappointing draw at home with Alloa. They will have to play a lot better than that to win.

If Ally McCoist's side lose they will be nine points back and serious questions will be asked about their ability to win the title.

But I don't think Rangers should be written off. They have played some fine football at times this term and have some experienced players who will handle the big occasion.

Ian Black, Kris Boyd, Lee McCulloch, Kenny Miller and Lee Wallace have all played in big matches like this before and have the mental strength to handle the intensity of the atmosphere.

I think McCulloch, in particular, has a key role to play today. He has to lead by example, spur his side on and calm and reassure the younger players.

I have been critical of Rangers at times and I stand by my assertion that they are often too predictable and lack dynamism.

When they have a bad day at the office they can be very poor indeed. They were sadly lacking in pace and creativity against Alloa. Those are two qualities that Hearts have in abundance.

But Rangers always seem to do just what they need to do and that is win games, land titles and progress up the leagues. Plus, they had won eight games in a row before last weekend's slip.

I think Ally and his players would accept a draw. There are a lot of games still to be played this season so it would not be catastrophic.

It is an unusual position for Rangers to be in. It promises to be a fascinating tactical battle and Ally has a lot of big decisions to make for this match.

One player who has impressed me every time I've seen him is Nicky Clark and I feel he could make a difference if he was brought in.

However, a heavy defeat would lead to speculation about Ally's position.

All managers live with the threat of the sack and he is no different. The off-field events at Ibrox have further complicated matters for him.

But, as he famously stated, he won't do walking away. And the terms of his contract could make it hard for the club to dispense with his services if they feel they need to change things.

A win or even a draw today, though, would go a long way towards ensuring his safety.