Bilel Mohsni bombs Hibes out of the title race

Rangers defender Bilel Mohsni insists Hibs are already out of the running for the title.

The Ibrox club boast a seven-point lead over Alan Stubbs’ side in the race for the one automatic promotion place.

Both teams go head-to-head for the first time in the Championship tomorrow night, and Mohsni believes Hibs’ only hope of making a return to the top flight is via the play-offs.

Asked if Hibs were title contenders, he replied: “No. We’re just at the start of the League, but I think it is going to be between us and Hearts who will fight for first place.

“And maybe Queen of the South, Raith Rovers and, of course, Hibs can still do the play-offs. But they have a lot to do. It’s surprising. I expected the three big teams us, Hearts and Hibs to fight for the top of the table.

“When we knew who was going down and who was going up from the Championship, that is how I thought. I was surprised to see Hibs losing some games and drawing against other teams.”

Hibs ran Rangers close in their first competitive game of the season, when Ally McCoist’s side required an extra-time winner to just edge their Petrofac Training Cup clash.

But since then, the Easter Road outfit have struggled with life in the Championship, and Mohsni admits he didn’t expect to find Hibs in the bottom half of the table.

He said: “I’m surprised to see Hibs struggle after seeing them playing so well against us. But every team when they play against us gives 100% so that was probably their best.

“Tomorrow they will give us a tough game too. But this League is hard and I can understand why they are struggling.”

Mohsni is certainly enjoying playing against better opposition. But he is now under strict orders from his manager to take fewer risks at the back.

He laughed: “The manager says I gave him a heart attack against Inverness a couple of weeks ago. I am a footballer who is taught to pass. But the manager has told me to be solid and not take risks.

“It’s not pretty, I don’t like it. But this is the job and I have to do it. So, yes, I hope I can show more.”

McCoist agrees Mohsni is capable of more, but has witnessed enough errors at the back from the stopper in the past to have the right to demand he doesn’t take as many chances at the back.

The Rangers manager is an admirer, but admits Mohsni needs to learn when to clear the danger and when to play.

“There’s definitely a player in there,” said McCoist. “It is definitely just a concentration thing. He just switches off when he thinks it is slightly easier than it is.

“But Bilel brings a lot to the party and he has got far greater qualities than deficiencies.”