The former Ibrox captain feels Rangers need to prove they can win at the toughest venues around Scotland.
The Gers have shown remarkable consistency in the top-flight this season, save for one poor performance against Celtic.
Having had time to reflect and prepare for upcoming challenges over the international break, Steven Gerrard will now bring his team to Tynecastle on Sunday for what will likely be tough encounter.
Ferguson thinks they are well placed to win, but has stressed that these are the kind of matches that will define their title bid.
Speaking on PLZ Soccer, the former Ibrox captain said: “I can’t see anything else, apart from Rangers winning the game. If you want to try and stay at the top of the league and achieve things, these are the places you’ve got to go and win games.
“They’ve done the hard thing getting to the top of the league but if you want to stay and challenge you’ve got to go to places like Tynecastle, Easter Road, Fir Park and win football games. No matter how you play, that goes out the window. It’s about getting three points.”
Pressure could be on
Heading into this weekend’s fixtures as league leaders is a rare experience for Gerrard’s team. For so long they’ve been playing catch up and will now have to mentally adjust to having the pressure on them a bit.
Celtic play first at home to Ross County, a match they’ll be expecting to win. That would put the Hoops one point ahead having played a game more.
The Gers have had fairly kind away fixtures to date, so Sunday represents a step up in intensity. While Hearts have had their struggles this season, Tynecastle is not an easy venue for most teams.
Can Gerrard follow up two victories there last season with another three points this weekend? As Ferguson points out, it’s a crucial test and one they must pass.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
