The bosses were spotted in conversation during the post-match handshake at Tynecastle, prompting suggestions there may have been some friction after a dramatic night in Gorgie.

But McInnes laughed off any suggestion of bad blood and joked that the Hearts manager was actually thanking him.

Asked if there had been any tension between the pair, the Rangers boss said: “No, all good.”

When told Vrancken had suggested he would have preferred a friendlier handshake, McInnes fired back with a one liner.

He quipped: “I think he was just thanking me for how grateful he is for leaving him such a strong squad here.”

The light-hearted exchange came after Olwethu Makhanya rescued a point for Rangers with a dramatic late equaliser on McInnes' first return to Tynecastle since swapping Hearts for Ibrox in the summer.

The Rangers boss was loudly booed by the home support as he emerged from the tunnel, with emotions still running high after Hearts were narrowly denied the Premiership title before his departure. Yet it was the visitors who struck first when Kevin Kelsy punished a lapse from Laurent Mendy to fire Rangers ahead after 16 minutes.

Hearts roared back after the break as Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller turned the game on its head and looked set to hand Vrancken a memorable victory. But centre-back Makhanya had the final say, rising to nod home in the 89th minute and seal a 2-2 draw.

The result leaves second-placed Rangers four points adrift of Celtic and four clear of Hearts, while McInnes ensured the post-match spotlight remained on his joke rather than any supposed feud with the opposing dugout.