So here we go. Outside of fixtures against Celtic, the next two are the Rangers crunch for Derek McInnes.

Derek McInnes’s Rangers travel to Tynecastle next weekend to face his former side. Then we host Stephen Robinson’s Aberdeen.

That is the double header that will make or break Rangers’ season for sure. It will certainly define if 56 is a possibility or not.

Without any doubt, Hearts and Aberdeen would consider themselves historically Scotland’s third and fourth teams, even although every season is dynamic and sees a different side challenging here and there.

Generally speaking, Hearts and Aberdeen would be Scotland’s third and fourth teams overall. And while Steven Robinson’s Aberdeen side have not been spectacular this season, they always raise their game against Rangers and indeed Celtic. They will prove to be quite the opponent.

Rangers face a massive Tynecastle challenge

But first of all, that trip next weekend to Tynecastle is the first make or break moment, starting in Edinburgh.

McInnes knows he’s going to get a hot reception. The majority of Hearts fans did not begrudge McInnes moving to his boyhood heroes. But at the same time, they did then hate the fact that Rangers started to hoover up all their best assets, especially Devlin and Shankland.

As a result, those initial magnanimous feelings of him moving to his boyhood team became replaced by hatred, as their former manager, who took them so close to the title but then is perceived over there to have failed miserably, started stealing all their players.

Hearts generally now rather hate Rangers/McInnes and have joined the crew of teams that dislike everything Govan.

Consequently, there will be a hot reception and they’ll be fully in rocking mode when Rangers go east to Gorgie.

This will be a tough one.

Historically, Tynecastle is a tough place to go to, to say the least. Uniquely, of course, the crowd is much closer to the pitch than at most other stadiums in the UK.

The crowd’s proximity to the players is far closer than anything the current crop of Rangers’ new signings are used to.

Naturally, those who have played at Hearts before will know how close the stadium is and how compact it is. Very different to most stadiums in that respect.

So if we add the reception, the proximity and the fact that the home side will be baying for blood, this will be a tough one.

And if Rangers can get through it with a victory, it’s a gigantic win.

Aberdeen bring another fierce Rangers rivalry

Then comes Robinson’s visit.

Aberdeen are another side who hate Rangers. The hate Rangers, even if the reasons aren’t exactly valid, going back to Durrant. The poison they offer us is borderline unparalleled.

They despise Rangers probably even more than Celtic do and will be absolutely desperate to hurt Rangers’ chances of 56.

This double header could not have come at a more toxic moment.

It is a huge one.

The subplots with Hearts are gigantic and they are, of course, still third in the league. Meanwhile, the historical subplots with Aberdeen will always be there.

Derek McInnes faces his former clubs

This crunch probably is what makes or breaks Derek McInnes’ chances of winning the league for Rangers.

And of course, naturally, not only did he use to be Hearts manager, but he was boss at the Dons too for many years of his career.

In actual fact, we do wonder if the fixture management at the SPFL deliberately put this group of three fixtures together where McInnes had been an ex-manager: St Johnstone, Hearts then Aberdeen.

Very surreal combination.

We’re just surprised the SPFL didn’t flip Killie with Dundee around to make the full set.

Six points could shape Rangers’ title challenge

But nevertheless, this is the double header that will absolutely shape the season.

Maximum points is a huge, huge deal if Rangers can secure it.

Anything less is a great big trip up because we can’t see Celtic dropping too many points in the near future.

But you never know.