Heart of Midlothian

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Privately, Derek McInnes probably did not expect his Hearts side's stunning start to the season to continue without a hiccup or two.

However, the head coach probably also did not expect all his key forward players to go off the boil at the same time.

Hearts have still only lost twice in 19 outings this season - and just once in the league - but they have won just once in their latest five.

It means they entertain Kilmarnock on Wednesday with their lead narrowed to two points over a Celtic side who have a game in hand.

Most worrying of all, Hearts have found the net just once in their past three games - an own goal by United goalkeeper Yevhen Kucherenko from an Alexandros Kyziridis shot off a post - and have drawn blanks in the latest two.

Just as Hearts' form seemed to dip as soon as people began to take seriously their chances of mounting a title challenge, so have the goal contributions of Kyziridis, Claudio Braga and Pierre Landry Kabore after they were being lauded for the impact they have made since their summer arrivals.

Likewise, Lawrence Shankland's recall to the Scotland squad was quickly followed by the striker being overtaken at the top of the Premiership scoring charts by Motherwell's Tawanda Maswanhise.

McInnes will be looking for some leadership from his captain to turn around their fortunes and will see the visit of his former club as an ideal chance to do so.

Especially so considering Hearts' 3-0 win in the reverse fixture in October - in which Braga scored a double - started a sequence of six straight defeats for Stuart Kettlewell's side that was only ended by Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to United.

Read all the midweek Premiership picks

Hearts are pushing to sign midfielder Cammy Devlin, 27, up on a new deal. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Manager Derek McInnes hopes protracted contract talks with Australia midfielder Devlin have a satisfactory ending for Hearts. (Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Hearts' game winners need to step back up to the mark to get them victories from tight matches, according to former head coach Steven Naismith.

Derek McInnes' Scottish Premiership leaders dropped points for the third game in a row with a 0-0 draw away to Motherwell on Saturday - and Celtic are now just two behind with a game in hand.

Lawrence Shankland had Hearts' only effort on target, his looping header being cleared off the line by Motherwell striker Callum Hendry.

"The finesse from Shankland is brilliant, but what a clearance," Naismith said on BBC Scotland's Sportscene. "Some of the ball is literally over the line.

"That was Hearts' biggest chance and, as the manager said, in the final third they never had the quality that we've seen.

"That's the challenge for Hearts. They've made massive steps, but to get to the title challengers, you need guys that will win you those games."

Jonathan Sutherland
BBC Scotland Sportscene presenter

Hearts had their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership cut again after being held to a draw away to a fine Motherwell side.

However, goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow made a number for fine stops to keep the game goalless and is in my team of the week.

Watch all the highlights as Motherwell and Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts play out a goalless draw at Fir Park.

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We asked for your views after Hearts drew 0-0 with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what some of you said:

Dave: It's a club and Scottish football mentality thing now. Hearts, like any other club apart from Celtic and Rangers, when in this current position go into these games with the hope rather than the expectation of winning. The Old Firm mentality is that they know they will win these types of games. Hearts need to get into that mindset, collectively as a club and as a team. It's no easy task.

Stuart: Hearts tactics seem to have been rumbled. Time to reset and start varying things before we lose the plot.

Paul: It was never a realistic possibility to keep winning every week. Let's just hope they can achieve a level of consistency to keep the points ticking over and see where that takes us. Nobody was expecting Hearts to win the league at this stage in their development.

Steven: Probably couldn't have hand picked a harder game so take the point and move on. Going to Parkhead, Ibrox and Easter Road at times you're not expecting a performance and a win all the time, so Fir Park was an awkward place to go. Motherwell in decent form and play excellent football. More teams will struggle there. Hibs got slaughtered there midweek. Three points from Kilmarnock on Wednesday is a must now though.

Ali: Bottled it. Or maybe I should say, 'bottling it'.

Steve: Tough watch today. No control in any area of the pitch and some players are beginning to struggle - Stuart Findlay and Claudio Braga have been off the boil recently and might benefit for a spell on the bench. A point at Motherwell isn't a bad result on paper, but the performance was reminiscent of the Neil Critchley days. Massive improvement required for Wednesday.

Leaders Hearts dropped Scottish Premiership points for the third game running as they played out a goalless draw with Motherwell.

Read the match report.

Have your say.

Hearts manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland: "Motherwell had slightly the better of the first half. We had some good moments on the break but were wasteful.

"I wanted us to be a bit more positive and we spoke about that at half-time. We kept them away from our door for a half-hour period and I'm annoyed we've not capitalised on that.

"For the last 15 minutes, we stopped doing what we were doing and took a step back.

"Over the course of the piece, I think a point was enough and fair. We didn't do enough to win it and that's frustrating. We'll take the point.

"We're not quite in the same rhythm at the top end of the pitch and we could do with finding that again.

"We weren't getting too high when we were winning. We're returning a good points tally at the minute, we just need to get back to showing that attacking threat. We feel we've got the answers in the building."

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Motherwell have Stephen O'Donnell back in contention following injury while Andy Halliday is making progress.

Filip Stuparevic (knee) is the closest of the long-term absentees including Aston Oxborough (hand), Sam Nicholson (knee), Zach Robinson (Achilles) and Jordan McGhee and Eseosa Sule (both thigh).

Hearts defender Craig Halkett returns after suspension, while Lawrence Shankland and Stuart Findlay are expected to be fit.

Craig Gordon was struggling with illness earlier in the week while Ageu, Beni Baningime, Calem Nieuwenhof and Finlay Pollock all miss out with hamstring injuries.

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Former Hearts midfielder Tommy Murray has died at the age of 82.

Having scored over 100 goals in seven years at Airdrieonians, Murray moved to Carlisle United in 1967.

He headed in the only goal as the then English second-tier club famously beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round at St James' Park in January 1968.

A four-year stint with the Cumbrians yielded 38 goals before his switch to Tynecastle, with the Edinburgh club praising his "energy, passing and dribbling skills".

During four seasons with Hearts, Murray hit 22 goals in 147 appearances and struck up a good playing relationship with Donald Ford and Drew Busby.

Hearts highlight a "truly memorable moment" when he cheekily sat on the ball against Rangers at Ibrox in December 1972 before setting Jimmy Brown on his way to cross for a Ford goal.

Murray went on to play in Hong Kong and Australia before returning to Scotland for spells with Arbroath, Stenhousemuir and Raith Rovers.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

When these two sides met at Tynecastle in August, they delivered arguably the best match of the season so far.

Jens Berthel Askou's Motherwell swept into a three-goal lead with some of the free-flowing football we've become accustomed to from them this season, before Hearts roared back to snatch a point thanks to Claudio Braga's double.

They lock horns again this weekend, with a similarly high-scoring encounter hopefully in the works.

Motherwell have climbed up to fourth in the table with four wins from their past five league outings, drawing 1-1 at Aberdeen in the other.

In contrast, Hearts have stumbled for the first time this season.

They lost 1-0 at Pittodrie last weekend - their first league defeat - and have dropped points in three of their four matches since they beat Celtic last month.

Hearts could go seven points clear of Celtic with a win, although the defending champions could reduce that deficit back to four when they take on Hibernian on Sunday.

Will Derek McInnes' side continue their title push or will Motherwell move within six points of their opponents?

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Midfielder Tomas Magnusson insists Hearts' first defeat of the season is "no biggie" - as long as they recover instantly by winning at Motherwell.

The 23-year-old Icelander has made his first league starts in the past two games, a 1-1 home draw with Dundee United and 1-0 loss at Aberdeen.

"It's a slight setback, but we've just got to try to take the positives out of the game and look forward to the next one and try to forget the defeat," Magnusson said.

"I mean, we got chances. At situations we took care of the ball well and it was just one of those that we couldn't get over the line. It's a loss, but it's not a biggie if we bounce back.

"The manager has told us to try to just forget the defeat and that a good team bounce back and respond to a loss."

Up next it's another difficult task. Motherwell looked superb in their midweek win over Hibernian and have dropped only two points in the past five matches.

The Steelmen led 3-0 at Tynecastle in August, only for Hearts to roar back for a point.

"It was a top game at Tynecastle when we played Motherwell and we just try to do as well as possible," Magnusson said.

"They were excellent those 45-60 minutes, but we could have stolen it in the end and it shows how great the squad is that we can bounce back."

Magnusson is expected to start again this weekend, with Beni Baningime still out injured.

"I've settled in fine and I'm getting my feet under the table, I'm catching up to it," he said.

"It's a big squad, but it's like everyone's mates. If someone's playing in front of you, you just try to help them. I feel like I'm improving as a player."

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• This match features both of the top two scorers in this season's Scottish Premiership in Motherwell's Tawanda Maswanhise (eight) and Hearts' Lawrence Shankland (seven). Both players' goals have been worth five points to their sides, the joint-most of any players in the division this term (Rangers' James Tavernier also five points).

• Motherwell have only won one of their Past seven league games against Hearts (D2 L4), a 3-1 victory in August 2024.

• Hearts are unbeaten in all four league matches against Motherwell in 2025 (W2 D2), last going longer without losing to the Steelmen in the top flight in September 2007 (eight).

• Motherwell have won four of their Past five league games (D1) – as many as their previous 17 beforehand (W4 D8 L5) – and are looking to win three in a row in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since September 2023, when the third win was over Hearts (1-0).

• After winning eight of their first nine league games of this season, Hearts have since won just one of their past four (D2 L1). Away from home, Hearts won their opening four league matches, but have since failed to win their past two (D1 L1).

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St Johnstone are one of many clubs keen on a January loan deal for Hearts striker James Wilson, with the 18-year-old Scotland cap having started just one Premiership game this term. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

A hamstring tear for Hearts midfielder Ageu does not require surgery but will keep the Brazilian out of action until the New Year. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS/Opta

Two games for Hearts without Beni Baningime. One point from a possible six.

While some have suggested Hearts' bubble has already burst - perhaps because it was at this stage last season when Aberdeen's house of cards started to collapse - it is still too early to say.

What is indisputable, though, is how keenly Derek McInnes has missed his midfield lynchpin.

The 27-year-old is expected back in mid-December and not a moment too soon for Hearts. Without him, they struggled to a 2-2 draw with Dundee United before suffering their first league defeat of the season at Aberdeen.

What is that Baningime brings to this Hearts side?

Statistically, the former Everton youngster is having one of his best seasons in maroon. In a couple of areas, he is the best at Hearts bar one - midfield partner Cammy Devlin.

At 3.7 tackles and 5.17 possession turnovers per game, it is only Devlin who strides ahead of Baningime.

In the defensive third, Baningime wins the ball back more than any other player while in the middle third, only Devlin and Lawrence Shankland beat him.

He also tops the passing accuracy with an impressive 89%, while his long ball accuracy percentage is one of the best in the league. His 74% of duels won is a league best, and his number of tackles is similarly high.

So far, it has been summer signing Tomas Magnusson that has been asked to replace Baningime. He is yet to set the heather alight in his deputising stint.

His pass accuracy against Aberdeen was a low 72% and won a little over half of his duels, but did offer more offensively than Baningime might.

Against Dundee United, the first game without Baningime, Magnusson only made one tackle, won just over a third of his duels, and again ranked poorly among his team-mates for pass accuracy.

What of all this means is Hearts do not have a ready-made replacement for Baningime. Magnusson looks like a different type of player, who is still adjusting to what is being asked of him.

Add the loss of Baningime to the absence of Craig Halkett and Lawrence Shankland, and the slight dip in form of key creators Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis, and perhaps it is no surprise Hearts were beaten at Pittodrie.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Hearts' first defeat of the season has prompted questions over whether their bubble has burst.

But looking at the stats from Sunday's loss at Pittodrie, nothing could be further from the truth.

With more shots on and off target, more big chances, more touches in the final third and opponents' box, more possession, more accurate passes, more tackles won than the the Dons, it's difficult to be critical of the players.

However, the only stat that really counts is goals scored and Aberdeen's solitary strike was enough to secure the points.

So for the first time this season the Hearts fans are looking for their team to bounce back.

And with 4,500 travelling to Fir Park on Saturday there will be an expectation they get back to winning ways.

But Motherwell have already shown against Hearts they are a team not to be messed with.

For an hour at Tynecastle in August they ripped Hearts to pieces. It's one of the most impressive performances I have witnessed from an opposition side, outside of Celtic or Rangers, for some time.

And it was no flash in the pan either, as Motherwell's impressive victory over Hibs on Tuesday night illustrated.

Derek McInnes will be delighted to welcome back Craig Halkett from suspension and Lawrence Shankland is set to be fit to lead the line for a formidable test at Fir Park.

Heart of Midlothian have turned down St Johnstone's request to include on-loan right-back Adam Forrester in their squad for this weekend's Scottish Cup meeting with Cove Rangers. (Courier - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hearts boss Derek McInnes says the club are looking into why so many of their players are suffering from hamstring injuries.

Beni Baningime, Calum Neuenhof, record signing Ageu and teenager Finlay Pollock are all sidelined with hamstring problems.

"I think it would be remiss or wrong for us not to look at this a lot more in depth," said McInnes.

"Muscle injuries, when players are that fast-twitch, and they're so athletically tuned.

"I never had a hamstring injury. I wasn't that quick. But we've got to look at all these, and they're different.

"Everyone's a bit different. The four hamstring injuries that were mentioned, they're all in different areas.

"Sometimes you can just be unlucky, but I think it's wrong just to say we're unlucky without looking at it a bit more in depth."

McInnes expects to welcome back key players Lawrence Shankland and Stuart Findlay for the trip to face in-form Motherwell on Saturday.

Striker Shankland missed last weekend's defeat by Aberdeen with a hamstring tweak while centre-back Findlay came off 15 minutes from time because of an ongoing ankle issue.

"Lawrence's scan came back clear," said McInnes. "He trained today, he trained about 85% of the session, he just didn't do the max-out sprints, just to make sure there was no reaction to that tomorrow. And then with that, hopefully he can be ready for the weekend.

"Stu actually did his ankle against Hearts in the last game of last season [while playing for Kilmarnock], so he had a wee bit of a complication through the summer with that.

"He's never really felt anything up until the last couple of weeks and he just felt it stiffen up at the weekend. So we got that scanned and, thankfully, there's nothing sinister going on."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before Hearts visit Motherwell in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key lines from the Tynecastle boss:

• Lawrence Shankland should be available after a calf problem but record signing Ageu faces a further spell on the sidelines after scans revealed a torn hamstring.

• McInnes said: "It's in a slightly different area to the original hamstring [injury] and he's due to see a specialist tonight."

• The Hearts boss is hopeful Stuart Findlay will also be fit after going off with an ankle problem in last weekend's loss to Aberdeen.

• Hearts will investigate the reasons for so many hamstring injuries, which have deprived them of Beni Baningime, Calum Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Finlay Pollock for chunks of the season.

• McInnes adds: "I think it would be remiss or wrong for us not to look at this a lot more in depth. Muscle injuries, when players are that fast-twitch, and they're so athletically tuned. Everyone's a bit different. The four hamstring injuries that were mentioned, they're all in different areas."

• Hearts were the "better team" at Pittodrie and only have "ourselves to blame" for suffering a first defeat of the season.

• McInnes detects "no hangover" from that loss after having an "honest assessment" with the players of what went wrong.

• The squad is now being "tested" with injuries but McInnes says: "It's a long season. You're going to have to deal with that... These boys have shown enough up until now. The league table doesn't lie. They've shown enough up until now that there's enough encouragement there that we can get results with the squad we've got."

• He is delighted the club have sold out their 4,800 allocation for Saturday's game and adds: "I think we've sold out at Falkirk already. We've sold out at Celtic Park already. It shows you the buy-in for the supporters."

• On suggestions Hearts' bubble has burst: "I don't really care too much about that. As a manager, you're always looking for your reaction to a disappointment. I think I know my players. I know they're conscientious. They're real. They're authentic. We know they care. Obviously, when you lose a game of football, it's not nice. But the response will be there."

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Hearts midfielder Ageu may face weeks out after a scan revealed a tendon tear. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip