THE first Premiership blow has been taken on the chin. Now, Rangers must come out fighting.

Defeat to Hibernian last weekend was a shock to the system that Pedro Caixinha could have done without, but it is not one from which his side cannot recover.

On Saturday, the Gers have a chance to return to winning ways, to get back on track in the top flight. It is an opportunity they are confident of making the most of.

The red card controversy and fall-out from Neil Lennon’s celebrations has dominated the post-mortem in recent days but it was the performance and the points lost that were the most important factors for Caixinha to consider.

Every game as Rangers boss is a must-win one but the visit of Hearts carries its own added significance as the Light Blues look to ensure a blip doesn’t become a slip.

Caixinha said: “We had a day off after the match and then we had a session. I spoke nothing about the match when normally we make our analysis and reflect.

“The answer the players gave me was by working hard. I didn’t need anything else.

“They did it that day, the day after, the day after until today I had to say ‘hey boys, calm down as we need to be fresh.’

“The answer will come on the game on Saturday. That’s the answer we need to give when something happens that you are not expecting and you lose a game. Let’s move forward.

“The challenge I have is winning on Saturday. And after that to win the next one.

“Then we have three days off because of the international week and we move on.

“That’s what we need to do. That’s our focus. I’m not here to compare ourselves with anyone.

“We have to make our fans proud to have the team back. We feel it, they feel it and you feel it as well.”

Rangers head into the Hearts clash with ground to make up in the Premiership after they failed to follow up on their opening weekend win at Motherwell with another top flight triumph.

The narrative around Rangers in recent days could easily have been different. The key moments in the match altered the views, though.

The Gers were ahead inside four minutes through Alfredo Morelos but slack defending allowed Simon Murray to level before Ryan Jack saw red. Hibs snatched the momentum and soon collected the points.

A failure to capitalise on a flying start contributed to Rangers’ problems. The big picture is always the most important, but the details are significant for Caixinha.

He said: “Normally it might happen to you in one game. It happens to us in one game twice.

“Minute 20 we could have done the second goal, we didn’t. The minute after that, we recovered the ball again, we tried to play with Kenny (Miller) between the lines, lost the ball and they got the transition and scored the equaliser.

“Even in the second half when they scored the third one, we had two chances two minutes before. One by Fabio and the other from Morelos. It happened to us twice.

“Sometimes you might control the games, other times it just happened like that. I can tell you that on the first goal we had some signs that we should have had a better control of the possession.

“We lost the ball easily two, three, four times, which gave them a chance to go up the park.

“We were not balanced on the end position and allowed them to explore spaces after they regained the possession.

“Sometimes the game might give you signs, other times it can happen two times some things that normally happens from time to time.”

Having come unstuck against one Capital club already this term, Rangers must now avoid another stumble against the Gorgie outfit.

Former Ibrox striker Jon Daly will take charge of the Jambos this weekend, while Gers transfer target Jamie Walker could line-up against his potential employers.

The win over Kilmarnock last weekend has given Hearts a timely boost after a nightmare start to the campaign and the departure of Ian Cathro. In many respects, they have nothing to lose this weekend.

Caixinha said: “Hearts play differently. The analysis is different with Jon in charge.

“They played differently against Celtic compared to how they played against Kilmarnock.

“I expect a team in between but we expect a good team with good players who won their last game and who want to continue. We expect a tough challenge.

“But we want three points. We need to look forward and that’s the answer the boys have given me.”

*The Rangers Charity Foundation’s Big Hearted Bears Day at Ibrox on Saturday will celebrate the work of the Foundation and raise money for its new Rangers Charity Dream Fund.