Heart of Midlothian

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

An ever-present in the backline, Hearts now face six weeks without defender Stuart Findlay after he picked up a hamstring injury.

The 30-year-old has played the most Premiership minutes (2,489) of any outfield player this season. In fact, only Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland and Livingston number one Jerome Prior have clocked up more game-time.

With Hearts sitting at the summit of the Premiership having lost just four games and conceded only 24 goals in 28 games, Findlay has had a major part to play.

His 188 clearances is the fourth highest of any player in the top flight, as are his 112 headed clearances. He's won 109 aerial duels, the fifth highest for any defender in the league.

And the centre-back has been chipping in at the other end of the pitch too. His five goals is the second highest for a defender, alongside Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers and Motherwell's Emmanuel Longelo, while he is tied with the pair at the top of the charts for non-penalty goals.

Findlay previously worked with Tynecastle boss Derek McInnes at Kilmarnock and has proved a shrewd - and bargain - signing.

Having initially moved on loan for the season from Oxford United, he was rewarded with a permanent deal last month and will officially become a permanent Hearts player on a two-year contract in the summer.

Findlay - and record signing Ageu - are the latest players added to Hearts' lengthy injury list, but the good news is midfielder Beni Baningime could return from injury for Saturday's home game against Aberdeen.

The likely replacement for Findlay, Jamie McCart, was one of the first signings identified by Jamestown Analytics and now has a chance to prove his worth to McInnes' title-chasing side.

McCart joined the club last January from Rotherham but has started just two league games this season and has played a total of 261 minutes over 12 matches.

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• Since leaving Aberdeen in 2021, Hearts manager Derek McInnes has won all five of his home league games against his former side. Only against three clubs has he enjoyed a longer winning home run in his Scottish top-flight managerial career: Dundee (6 from Aug 2015 to Dec 2018), Kilmarnock (seven from Apr 2013 to Dec 2016), and Hamilton (nine from Feb 2011 to Oct 2018).

• Hearts are unbeaten in 13 home league games against Aberdeen (W9 D4) since a 2-1 reverse in May 2017 under Ian Cathro. In fact, the side playing at home have lost none of the past 25 league matches between the two sides (W19 D6) since that Dons win in 2017.

• After their 1-0 victory in November, Aberdeen could secure back-to-back league victories over Hearts for the first time since August 2019, and first time within a single season since May 2017 (three in a row).

• Hearts, with have 60 points after 28 games, are only the second non-Old Firm club to reach 60 points at this stage of a Scottish top-flight campaign in the 21st century, after Aberdeen in 2014-15 (also 60 in 28) – who were also managed by now Hearts boss McInnes.

• Aberdeen have failed to score in their past six away league games; the last side to go longer without a goal on their travels in the Premiership were Livingston via a run of nine from February to August 2023.

Hearts are considering a move for Rangers centre-back Leon King, with the 22-year-old currently on loan at Ayr United before his Ibrox contract expires in the summer. (Record subscription required), external

Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Hearts boss Derek McInnes has revealed how he soaks up advice and tips from Sir Alex Ferguson as he aims to guide the Tynecastle side to title glory.

The iconic former Manchester United manager was the last man to lead a non-Old Firm team to the title in Scotland as he masterminded Aberdeen's triumph in 1985 and he will be in the stand when his former club face Hearts on Saturday.

"I spoke to him again today, actually," McInnes said. "I'm looking forward to catching up with him.

"I asked him if he fancied coming along and he said 'aye'. he's going to the Rangers v Celtic game on Sunday, so he's coming to see us now on Saturday as well.

"He'll be our guest and I'm looking forward to seeing him.

"He's well aware of the situation. He knows my players, he's well aware of who's who, and some of them still can't get their head around that when I tell them."

McInnes said he had a feeling the iconic manager was behind his side as they try to triumph against the odds, and said how special it was to be able to take advice from someone who has achived so much in the way of trophy success.

"He's good to give you little pointers and little nuggets of experience that he had in run-ins and things like that, so he's been good as gold," he said.

"Every conversation I have with him I feel privileged and I always get something from it because he's lived it.

"He's done title wins and these sort of situations when there's a lot of high pressure, and obviously the irony is it was his team who last won it (outside Rangers and Celtic).

"There's so much that he says is valid and worthwhile and worth listening to.

"I take notes as I'm talking to him, because even when he's just speaking and talking away, you'll pick up things.

"It's nice that he's reached out to me and been speaking a lot recently."

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media ahead of Hearts' home game against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• McInnes says he has eleven players who wont train on Wednesday due to various injuries. There was "varying degrees of success and bad news" from scans but the manager insists he can still put out a strong team and squad this weekend.

• Club record signing Ageu is out for the season and will require an operation on a thigh injury, with the manager saying the Brazilian has had "no luck at all" since his move and is "heartbroken" by the latest setback.

• Stuart Finlay has a hamstring issue and will be absent for six weeks but Beni Baningime could return against Aberdeen, while Oisin McEntee and Sabah Kerjota are the other two McInnes sees as "50-50" for the weekend.

• Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland are continuing their recovery and Hearts hope to have back both back before the international break.

• The manager also gave an update on Craig Gordon, revealing that the veteran goalkeeper is a doubt for Scotland's friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast. He said the neck and shoulder issue was "wear and tear" and down to the number of games but said that Gordon felt better than the scan suggested and would not be wrapping himself in cotton wool to preserve his World Cup hopes.

• McInnes revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson will attend Saturday's game against Aberdeen and that he felt "privileged" to be getting pointers and advice from the managerial legend. He said Sir Alex "knows the players" and regularly talks to him about whats going on at the club. He added: "Obviously Walter Smith was somebody that was my biggest confidant, somebody that I tapped into the most for advice, but it's nice that he's reached out to me and been speaking a lot recently."

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Former Hearts boss Robbie Neilson believes his old side's goal threat gives them the upper hand in the title race, while football analyst and Rangers John Walker says Rangers could be confident about the title with Claudio Braga in their ranks.

The most competitive fight for the Premiership trophy in years was debated on the Scottish Football Podcast and firepower was the focus, with both guests agreeing it will be decisive.

"Lawrence Shankland is out and Claudio Braga has scored but if you look at Rangers' top two goalscorers this season it's Youssef Chermiti and James Tavernier both on seven goals," Neilson said. "At Celtic it's Benjamin Nygren on 14.

"Hearts have got Shankland on 11 who has missed a lot of games, Braga is on 11, Craig Halkett and Stuart Findlay have five. They've got goals right throughout the team and they're not relying on one player. Potentially two, three years ago, before they had this really strong squad, if Shankland went out, that was the title challenge gone because they didn't have goals.

"They've got a great squad now that they can do that. Whereas if you look at Celtic, Nygren comes out of the team who's scoring the goals? Or if he has a bad day? Who's scoring the goals? Hearts have got that in the background."

Walker believes switching one player from the leaders over to Ibrox would make Rangers title favourites.

"If Rangers had Braga to call on and put in the starting XI, I would be confident about the title," he said.

"Hearts have got the best two forwards in the league. Rangers and Celtic are looking at teams with their centre forwards and saying things like 'He held the ball up well today. His link-up play was good,' and then you see Braga go to Ibrox and almost every touch he does is perfect, technically sound and he has pace."

"If Hearts have a four-point buffer going into the split with Shankland, Findlay and Braga all fit, and Devlin coming back. Hearts don't slip up as far as I'm concerned.

"I think if they've got everyone fit and can keep them fit for five [post-split] games, Hearts will win the league."

Hearts are awaiting scan results on five players ahead of Saturday's Premiership match against Aberdeen, allied to a fresh injury for winger Sabah Kerjota (Edinburgh Evening News), external.

Elton Kabangu scored for Hearts as a number of first-team players featured in a bounce game against Dundee at the Oriam (Hearts Standard), external.

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Chris Sutton has dismissed his former club Celtic's Premiership title chances and believes Hearts will last the course at the top.

The Tynecastle outfit are four points clear of Rangers in second and six clear of Celtic, who have a game in hand.

Motherwell - who have also played a game fewer than the top two - are 10 points behind Hearts.

Derek McInnes' outfit bounced back from defeat at Ibrox to beat Falkirk on Saturday, before Celtic and Rangers both failed to win on Sunday.

"It is absolutely brilliant," Sutton said on The Monday Night Club when asked about the Premiership title race.

"When Hearts lost to Rangers, everyone said Rangers will win it now - they have got the momentum and Hearts will fall away. My thoughts are that the top four are in it.

"I didn't expect Rangers to drop points at Livingston. They all have their frailties. I don't think Celtic can win it, I think they will finish third.

"There's nothing to suggest this Celtic team are going to flick a switch and win 10 games in a row. That's not going to happen."

Hearts play Aberdeen, Dundee and Motherwell at home before the split, as well as trips to Kilmarnock and Livingston.

Key players Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin are closing in on full fitness after missing recent weeks through injuries and Sutton thinks their return will be key.

"Every passing week, Lawrence Shankland is closer to returning and he's a brilliant finisher. I look at Hearts' pre-split fixtures and I still think they will win it.

"The split could be absolute carnage. Everybody is capable of beating everybody else."

Meanwhile, The Observer's football correspondent Rory Smith believes Hearts will win the Premiership within the next five years, even if they fall short this time.

"I think if you're Hearts, you assume this is the beginning," he said. "You'd trust Jamestown to go find another half dozen players.

"Celtic have to get the managerial appointment right and start recruiting well or I think Hearts - even if they don't win it this season - will win it in the next five."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

When walking out of Tynecastle last Saturday evening, there were was the odd moan and complaint following the tight 1-0 win against Falkirk, but come Sunday evening the result looked far better.

The most important thing was bouncing back from the defeat at Ibrox and getting three points, which we did.

The next thing head coach Derek McInnes would have wanted would have been a clean sheet - job done, thanks in part to some wasteful finishing from Falkirk striker Barney Stewart.

Of course, there were some aspects about the performance to criticise, but who cares?

Hearts are top of the league with just 10 games to go. We are about to enter the final quarter of the campaign, and Hearts are on the cusp of making history.

Publicly, McInnes will say there's no pressure on us - and he's quite right to - but internally, I imagine the message to the players may be slightly different.

While we have some good fortune in the hype surrounding the troubles of the Old Firm, we are quietly getting on with our business in our efforts to stay on top for as long as possible.

I believe McInnes will be telling the players and staff that we have 10 cup finals left and the only the next game is what we should be focusing on.

We have worked so hard to get into this position and it's not by fluke - it's down to how we have equipped ourselves each week.

It comes easy to nit-pick about selections, tactics or substitutes considering we are Jambos - we already have been champions at that in Scotland for years – but given the position we find ourselves in, we just need to back the team for the next few months.

McInnes and the team have earned supporters' trust to handle the remaining fixtures and do what is required.

Aberdeen at home on Saturday is a different kind of psychological test as the Dons' record at Tynecastle is abysmal.

They have failed to win in their past 15 attempts, with their most recent victory coming in May 2017. Hearts fans would expect to win this one even if we were bottom of the table.

It's a game in which we would want to win to put pressure on the Old Firm, who play each other on Sunday, but it's not win or bust as some pundits would have you believe.

The run-in will see lots of unexpected results - we just need to take it one game at a time.

Another 1-0 win would do for me but I've got a feeling that a big performance from some individuals is coming and I think we might be able to win this game a little bit more comfortably.

On-loan Hearts striker James Wilson was promoted to Tottenham Hotspur's bench after Igor Tudor noted the 18-year-old's touch and movement with their under-21 side as the new head coach looked for reinforcements against Arsenal with nine first-team players missing. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Former Scotland striker Lee Miller believes Hearts will stay top of the table to claim the Premiership title as he thinks they have the required mentality.

Derek McInnes' side are four points clear of Rangers in second and six points above Celtic, who have a game in hand.

Hearts beat Falkirk 1-0 on Saturday, while Rangers drew at Livingston and Celtic were beaten by Hibs.

Miller was a goalscorer for Falkirk, Dundee United and Aberdeen as well as for the Tynecastle outfit, and he had a very clear and quick answer when asked who will win this particularly tense, tight title race.

"Hearts. I just think Derek McInnes has had such a good season," he said.

"Yes, they've got quite a few injuries, but every time they have injuries they seem to have players that come in with a point to prove.

"I just think they'll be strong enough and I don't think Rangers and Celtic will string a run of wins together to get close enough to them."

"McInnes is very, very good manager in terms of people skills and getting them all on board. You can see the players want to play and fight for him.

"For example, they win 1-0 at home to Falkirk with a wee toe poke finish and keep solid at the back. They have that resilience and strength.

"They've also got players to come back from injury so they'll hopefully have them before the end of the season.

"It's hard because as a manager you need to pick a team that can exploit the team you're going to play against. You can't just keep picking the same team.

"Derek has got a good squad there and he's got a good team round about him to help him do that. "

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jerome Prior - Livingston: A superb performance from the Livingston keeper, who pulled off a variety of fantastic stops to repel Rangers time and again. No shame in ultimately conceding two given the deluge he was under.

Stephen O'Donnell - Motherwell: Has been a true, versatile hero at the back for the Steelmen this season. Looks like a player rejuvenated every weekend in this brilliant Motherwell side.

Brooklyn Kabongolo - Livingston: What. A. Strike! Finished like one of the world's best strikers to put Livingston ahead against Rangers. Also put in a big shift at the back.

Harry Milne - Hearts: Not one of the most celebrated at the time, but has to be one of the best recent signings Hearts have made. A model of consistency. The former Partick Thistle player put in another energised, dependable performance for his manager.

Emmanuel Longelo - Motherwell: Thought he looked offside for his goal, but who am I to argue with the VAR lines. Has been an awesome presence down the left for the Steelmen all season.

Felix Passlack - Hibernian: The former Borussia Dortmund player arrived at Easter Road with a fine CV and underlined those credentials with a fine showing at Celtic Park. Took his opportunity superbly with an unstoppable header to fire Hibs in front.

Elijah Just - Motherwell: Every weekend Just underlines his credentials as a player of the year contender. Opened the scoring in the demolition of St Mirren with another brilliant goal.

Ethan Hamilton - Dundee: For his thunderbolt winner against Aberdeen. Great follow-up to his sublime strike against Celtic in the cup, but that was ultimately in vain while this strike at Pittodrie bagged what could turn out to be a vital three points. A statement season for the midfielder.

Callum Slattery - Motherwell: Difficult to look past the fact he went down far too easily as Richard King was sent off. However, the actual football performance from Slattery was excellent. Three assists for the midfielder as the Steelmen further underlined their title credentials by tearing St Mirren apart.

Nicky Cadden - Hibernian: Hibs are simply a far better side with Nicky Cadden in it. His delivery from the left offers so much to Hibs in attack, as shown by the assist for Passlack's diving header against Celtic.

Kevin Nisbet - Aberdeen: The light in the north for the slightly dismal Dons at the moment. His first was freakish - helped massively by Dundee keeper Jon McCracken - but his second was an absolute firecracker of a free kick. On another day might easily have had a hat-trick.

Watch the best of the action from Tynecastle as Islam Chesnokov's first Hearts goal earns victory over Falkirk. (Available to UK users only)

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes hailed Islam Chesnokov's work-rate after the Kazakh winger's goal earned the Scottish Premiership leaders a vital win over Falkirk.

McInnes has introduced Chesnokov slowly after he arrived in January from FC Tobol, but he delivered his first notable contribution on Saturday with the game's only goal.

"It was such a good finish," McInnes said. "And he's just getting better and better as well. Sometimes you don't see him for long spells, but he's a moments player.

"I think he's going the right way. He's got the trust of all his team-mates, we see how honest he is.

"He works like a Trojan. He's probably the hardest working wide player I've worked with. And we feel he's getting more and more quality.

"He had a shot in the second half and it was a brave block from the Falkirk boy, it was flying towards goal.

"He's got that quality. And I think he's just slowly but surely finding his way and feeling part of it."

We asked for your views on Hearts' narrow 1-0 win over Falkirk on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

Paul: A win is a win at this point in the season. Being only a goal up was pretty nerve shredding, but in the end it was reasonably comfortable.

Jim: It was a hard, nervous watch at times and not pretty, but it's three points in the bag and at this stage that's all that counts. Injuries continue to be a concern and the sooner we get Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin back the better.

Peter: We saw a lot of character in our side with great contributions from Blair Spittal, Harry Milne and the tireless Claudio Braga. Islam Chesnokov stepped up his game and the finish for his first Hearts goal was clinical. We need to start games better, but well done overall in a tense affair.

Harry: Braga single-handedly keeping us in this. His work off the ball is all so selfless and he's doing the work of two men. He's crying out for Shankland, we are missing that touch of quality in that gap.

Frank: This is the type of result which, in the past, the Old Firm grind out on their way to first or second, so that is a positive for us. Falkirk will go home regretting their inability to score.

Neil: Hearts starting to look tired and nervous as we approach the business end of the season. Goes without saying that we miss Devlin and Shankland badly. Midfield replacements not good enough and Braga being asked to do a job that takes him away from his comfort zone. Chesnakov not yet up to speed but starting to show promising signs. One more game ticked off - 10 to go to become legends!

"Every game at this stage of the season is going to be tough," said Blair Spittal after Hearts extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 1-0 win over Falkirk.

The midfielder made the most of an unexpected start, replacing Ageu, who picked up an injury in the warm-up.

Admitting the game was "a bit nervy at times", the 27-year-old stressed the importance of points over performance.

"It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you win and we've managed to do that," he added.

"We made it hard for ourselves at points but when it mattered, we found a wee bit of quality and we had a great finish [from Islam Chesnokov].

"The first half was probably a wee bit more open than what we hoped for. I thought Falkirk were really good, waiting for us to go and then finding the spare player, but at half-time we corrected a few things and I thought we dealt with it a lot better in the second half."

It was just a seventh league start for Spittal this term and there may be more to come, with injuries mounting.

"It's just making sure you're ready for the opportunity," he said. "Thankfully, mine came today. It just shows the strength of the squad that we've got.

"We've got a lot of injuries but the boys are coming in and putting their bodies in the line.

"I feel I've played well but there's boys this season that have had great seasons so I kind of know where I'm at in terms of just being ready to take the opportunity but hopefully there's plenty more good days to come."

Hearts are five points in front of Rangers, who travel to Livingston on Sunday, while third-placed Celtic host Hibernian.

"It's just important we win games and take care of ourselves," added Spittal on the title race. "We don't look at what anyone else is doing.

"When we're playing Saturdays and Celtic and Rangers are playing Sunday, we know we've got to try and put a wee bit of pressure on them.

"Every game at this stage of the season is going to be tough. It's nice being able to watch the games tomorrow knowing that we've picked up a nice three points."

Hearts got back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership title race, overcoming Falkirk with a narrow victory at Tynecastle thanks to Islam Chesnokov's first goal for the club.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes: "We started okay, our out-of-possession stuff was better than our in-possession. I don't think we really knitted the game together as well as we'd hoped.

"Obviously, we go with one striker and two wide players. The benefit of the two wide players combined for the goal, Kyziridis coming in all shape and a lovely little pass to Chesnokov and a lovely finish for Islam.

"I'm so pleased for him and Kyziridis' part in it as well. You'd have to say it was our first half, probably throughout a 20-30 minute spell, where there was a lot of nervousness about.

"I need to thank the fans because the fans didn't add to that. They were brilliant with sticking with the team. They understand this is new territory for a lot of us here at Hearts and there's an understanding that they're getting right behind the team.

"The goal comes before half-time, which makes the team talk a wee bit different. But we did speak about the importance of communicating more clearly, quicker, louder, more often and making sure our out-of-possession stuff was much better.

"We still landed the better moments to get a second goal in the second half. The possession was 50-50. We had more shots, more shots than target.

"We managed the second half really well. Just disappointed we never managed to get a second goal, but sometimes 1-0 is enough, particularly at this stage of the season."

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Hearts will be without Oisin McEntee (shoulder), Stephen Kingsley (calf), Cammy Devlin (ankle), Lawrence Shankland, Calem Nieuwenhof and Finlay Pollock (all hamstring).

Falkirk lose the suspended Liam Henderson and on-loan Hearts player Lewis Neilson from their central defence, but Connor Allan should shrug off a head wound and Ethan Williams is back. Ben Parkinson (ankle) remains out, while Ross MacIver and Gary Oliver are still working their way back.