Rangers under pressure as Martin faces possible exit amid unrest

Russell Martin's position as Rangers manager has come under intense scrutiny after Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to Hearts left the club without a league win from five matches and sitting 10th in the Premiership. Supporters staged vocal protests at Ibrox and a fan group has demanded the immediate removal of both Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart, while the board has publicly reiterated its backing for the head coach for now. Media reports and club insiders, however, say decisionmakers are quietly drawing up contingency plans should results not improve.

The loss, sealed by a brace from Lawrence Shankland, extended a run of poor form that includes a humiliating 9-1 aggregate exit from Champions League qualifying to Club Brugge and just three wins in 12 matches in all competitions since Martin's summer appointment. That record and mounting fan anger have fuelled talk that Martin has only a matter of days to turn things around, with new fixtures against Hibernian in the League Cup and Belgian side Genk in the Europa League highlighted as crucial. Some commentators and sources have suggested the next three matches represent a de facto assessment period, while others have...