Milne has been added to an extensive list of Hearts absentees, with manager Vrancken confirming that Stuart Findlay and Christian Borchgrevink will face further spells on the treatment table.
Vrancken expects Blair Spittal to return before Christmas, though he admits Tom Renaud’s availability before the festive period looks improbable.
Despite travelling to Motherwell with a depleted squad, Hearts produced a resilient performance to secure a 2-0 victory on Sunday.
Vrancken has selected an unchanged squad for the visit of Rangers, which will also see the return of manager Derek McInnes, who left Hearts in June.
The Belgian manager emphasized that his side will maintain the same focus that has defined their season, as they aim to close the four-point gap with second-placed Rangers.
Vrancken stressed the importance of keeping focus on the pitch, stating the team’s objective is to secure victory and results despite the ongoing injury concerns.
A key priority for the squad is sustaining confidence among the players, both on the field and within the group, to preserve belief in the approach.
The manager noted that negative emotions disconnected from the team’s objectives add little to performance, and that there is always extraneous noise to block out and avoid.
