Heart of Midlothian

Hearts coaches will seek to replicate a match scenario for fringe players and those returning from injury during the international break. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Hibernian head coach David Gray sees progress in his side this season but accepts there is "more noise" towards Hibs with Hearts sitting top of the Scottish Premiership. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Top of the league by the March international break. Influential midfielder Cammy Devlin is back. And, more crucially, captain and talismanic striker Lawrence Shankland is available again.

Sidelined since January with a hamstring injury, Shankland made his return from the bench in Saturday's narrow win over Dundee.

Although the 30-year-old forward did not provide the decisive moment, his 36-minute cameo highlighted why his comeback is so important for Hearts' title charge.

"Even in the small moments Shankland was involved in, you could see his link-up play," former Hearts head coach Steven Naismith said on BBC's Sportscene.

"His game intelligence was on show and I think that will be big in the coming weeks."

Shankland's relentless scoring form in recent seasons has often meant his link-up play goes under the radar.

He misplaced just one of his 11 passes on Saturday and boasted 100% accuracy in the final third - seven out of seven completed - which allowed Hearts to sustain pressure before Oisin McEntee's winner.

Shankland also had more shots on goal than fellow forward Pierre Landry Kabore and found the target more often than Claudio Braga despite fewer minutes on the pitch.

His influence also becomes clearer when dissecting Hearts' record with and without the striker this season. Their win rate plummets from 73% to 44%.

While Derek McInnes' side have managed to stay top of the tree during Shankland's absence, they lost four of their five league matches without him.

Hearts failed to score in three of those five games without their captain - recent defeats at St Mirren and Kilmarnock (during a spell when Devlin was also missing), plus November's loss at Aberdeen.

With Shankland in the side, McInnes' men have failed to score only once in 18 matches - a goalless draw at Fir Park.

The forward will miss Scotland's upcoming fixtures against Japan and Ivory Coast, instead using the international break to build his fitness ahead of key club matches against Livingston and Motherwell before the league split.

"I've got a bit of time now without games, so I'll use it to get myself in the best shape possible," he told BBC Scotland after the match on Saturday.

"It'll be a lot of hard work over the next couple of weeks, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the fixtures."

Former Scotland midfielder Kevin Thomson says Hearts' recent home results are the sign of "a real good team".

Derek McInnes' side have had four straight home victories in the Scottish Premiership, amid three consecutive away defeats.

They lead the top flight by three points from Rangers and by five from Celtic.

Key duo Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland were back in the squad for Saturday's win over Dundee and Thomson believes they will be vital during the run-in.

"They have had a wonderful season, been there for the majority it, they have been there to be shot at," Thomson told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They continue to find ways of winning games of football, which is a great habit to have. I think that's four 1-0 wins at Tynecastle in their past four home games, which is normally a sign of a real good team, because you can't always play well, it can't always be perfect.

"Obviously having some of their big stars out injured - Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland - they have done incredibly well to stay right in the fight right up until the end. And I certainly wouldn't bet against them, that's for sure."

Image source, SNS

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

GK: Raphael Sallinger (Hibernian)

Not a vintage weekend for goalkeepers, so three saves and a clean sheet wins it for the Hibs custodian.

RCB: James Tavernier (Rangers)

Can Rangers really afford to lose the goals this right-back gives them every season? Not getting any younger but still delivers, as his free-kick against Aberdeen demonstrated.

CB: Ross Graham (Dundee United)

A lion at the back for United against Celtic. Stifled all the defending champions could throw at him, clean sheet and three points that keep United's slim top-half hopes alive. The perfect riposte to his derby day dejection.

LCB: Liam Donnelly (St Mirren)

The midfielder played on the right of a back three for St Mirren and shone defensively as well as scoring the winner. A big three points away to Falkirk.

RWB: Oisin McEntee (Hearts)

Towering header the decisive moment for Hearts to break the deadlock against Dundee. His physicality and power make him a huge threat at set-pieces.

CM: Marc Leonard (Hearts)

A different kind of midfielder to Cammy Devlin but arrived at the right time to fill the void left by the Australian this season. His delivery for McEntee's vital goal was right on the money.

CM: Emmanuel Agyei (Dundee United)

A robust and dynamic performance from the Ghanaian, topped off with a huge goal.

LWB: Will Ferry (Dundee United)

Normally all about the delivery, but Sunday was all about the finish from Ferry, which opened the scoring against Celtic. Not the cleanest of strikes but it doesn't matter. Remarkably his first United goal.

RW: Findlay Curtis (Kilmarnock)

Going to Kilmarnock was the best thing that happened to Steve Clarke, and the same for Curtis. Their paths will now cross in the Scotland camp, and rightly so. Curtis always looked like he had the talent, Kilmarnock are giving him the stage and all parties are benefitting. Scored the second in the big 2-0 win over Livingston.

CF: Joe Hugill (Kilmarnock)

An impressive showing topped with a goal from the former Manchester United youngster, and an assist for Curtis.

LW: Mikey Moore (Rangers)

The 18-year-old clearly had a lot of talent when he arrived at Ibrox, but in recent times he has stepped it up a level and delivered with consistency as Rangers continue their late charge for the title.

Watch 10-man Hearts return to winning ways at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a narrow win over Dundee.

Available in UK only

We asked you Hearts fans for your views on the 1-0 win over Dundee that set the pace at the top of the table. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Kris: You could instantly see what a difference Lawrence Shankland made to the way we play. He holds up better than Pierre Landry Kabore, finishes better, links play better and brings out the best in Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis too! He and Cammy Devlin coming back are massive, as we deserved nothing at half-time and then deserved our (albeit narrow) win.

Alan: Kudos to Michael Steinwender. Played out of position this season, and he's really taken one for the team. Against Dundee, he got played in his normal position and was a real unsung hero. When we win this league, I hope Michael holds the trophy high above his head and we celebrate what he's given to us - his all.

Graham: Brilliant win, thought we controlled the game for the majority but never looked like finding the net. Credit to Dundee who stuck to their gameplan well. Marc Leonard's free kick and Oisin McEntee's header were quality, and reminded me of Kevin Kyle's winner v Hibs in 2011. Bring on the next game.

Chris: When you rock up and play for a draw, as Dundee did, then get beaten 1-0 by a set play - some would call that karma. We were devoid of ideas today and McEntee has saved us with a great header as I couldn't see us scoring from open play. Seven to go.

Steve: I genuinely can't remember the last time we played well, our football is so slow and predictable. Dundee pass the ball three times and get a corner. We pass the ball 20 and are still in our own half. Our physio room is going to be busier than the stands at this rate.

Alfred: Incredibly grateful for the three points as logically that's all that matters just now but the football is regressing and the tactics seem non-existent. Derek McInnes needs to regain his composure and get the players ticking again. Hard stuff to watch but I'd rather win playing poorly than lose playing well.

Peter: We have a lot of injuries and that's playing out on the field. In turn the football is hard to watch. Some players seem low on confidence which is crazy to say. I've never been so happy to have two weeks off. Now to enjoy the view from the top.

Thomas: We can pass a ball upwards of 20 times and be back further than where we started. That slow, across-the-back, side-to-side football drains the life out of you and gets us nowhere. Lost our last two games on plastic pitches and played poorly and I don't see that changing against Livi.

Image source, SNS

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes: "Really pleased with the outcome. It was a tight game. We've lost one goal in four games, and that was last week at Kilmarnock.

"We've done a lot right to get our clean sheet, it doesn't come by chance. I thought we were the better team, but I'd like us to be a bit more dominant in terms of creating chances.

"We should've asked the question a bit more. Because when we did put the ball in the box it caused them a bit of stress and uncertainty.

"I thought Leonard and Devlin ran the game, we were just looking for a bit more quality at the top end of the pitch.

"The quality comes from a set play - they have been so important for us. We spoke yesterday at the team meeting about can we be the best team at set-plays between now and the end of the season?

"We're off to a good start. Delighted for Ross [Grant], my set-piece coach, because it's not been easy when the finger is being pointed.

"It's a brilliant header from big Oisin [McEntee]. A great cross from Marc Leonard. Quality and determination has won the game for us."

Oisin McEntee's towering header gave leaders Hearts a vital victory over Dundee to ensure they head into the international break top of the Scottish Premiership.

Have your say on Hearts' performance.

Image source, SNS

Hearts welcome back Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland but Tomas Magnusson is out with a broken cheekbone and Beni Baningime (knee) and Harry Milne (calf) face late checks.

Stephen Kingsley (calf), Craig Gordon (shoulder), Ageu (thigh), Stuart Findlay, Calem Nieuwenhof and Finlay Pollock (all hamstring) are still unavailable.

Dundee defender Clark Robertson is in contention to return after a thigh injury, so Yan Dhanda - ineligible to face his parent club - might be the only absentee.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Cammy Devlin is putting contract talks aside to focus on his return from injury and Hearts' title pursuit.

The Australia midfielder has been out with an ankle injury since mid-January but, along with striker Lawrence Shankland, is available to make his comeback in Saturday's home game against Dundee.

"I'm really happy to be back," Devlin, 27, said.

"I've found it quite tough in terms of just being away from doing what you love, especially with how everything was going this season.

"But this is part and parcel of football. You've got to overcome challenges all the time and injuries are part of it.

"I haven't enjoyed it at all so to be on the other side of it now, out of that physio room and back with my mates on the grass, has been really exciting.

"That was always my focus, just do everything in my power to come back in the best possible way I can."

Devlin, who joined the club in 2021, is out of contract at the end of the season and still has to decide where his future lies.

The midfielder has ambitions to play in the Champions League and should Hearts win the Premiership it would put them in the play-off round for next season's tournament, while the runners-up will go into the second qualifying round.

Devlin admits that tournament could be pivotal to what he decides this summer.

"I think growing up as an Aussie from the other side of the world the Champions League is something you would wake up at four or five in the morning to watch on the telly," he said.

"So I think that's a massive, massive carrot because that would be a dream come true for not just me, but for any player that is here I'm sure.

"In terms of right now my focus is on just getting back fit, playing for Hearts, seeing what we can do, and then I'm sure that stuff will come into play at the end of the season.

"The Champions League would be so special, so cool, and something we believe we can do. So fingers crossed.

"We're working ever so hard to make it happen, but there's 24 points left to play for. There's a lot of twists and turns left in this title race and the fact I can say we're a part of it is cool in itself."

Image source, SNS

• Since the start of February, Hearts have scored five league goals from 77 shots, a conversion rate of 6.5% - the lowest of any side in the competition in this time. Their xG/shot of 0.076 is also the lowest of any side in the top flight in this period. Meanwhile, Dundee top both of these metrics since 1 February (15.2% conversion, 0.129 xG/shot).

• Dundee are unbeaten in five league games (W2 D3), last going longer without defeat in the Scottish Premiership from January to February 2015 (eight).

• Hearts have won seven of their past nine league meetings with Dundee (L2), keeping a clean sheet in the latest five of those wins, including both this season (4-0 in November, 1-0 in January).

• Dundee have lost four of their past five Scottish Premiership trips to Hearts, winning the other 1-0 in April 2025.

• Each of Hearts' last three home league games have ended in 1-0 wins; they last won four in a row on home soil in the Premiership without conceding in March 2016.

Hearts' need to pay a fee for to make Marc Leonard a permanent signing is not an insurmountable hurdle, but matching his salary would be considerably more difficult and the 24-year-old on-loan midfielder says his focus is fulfilling the remaining years of his contract with Birmingham City. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Read all of Friday's Scottish Gossip

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes is "disappointed" but "not surprised" none of his players were called up by Scotland for this month's friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast.

Striker Lawrence Shankland has only just returned to fitness while fellow squad regular, goalkeeper Craig Gordon, is sidelined with a shoulder issue.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke also omitted Harry Milne and Craig Halkett, who were tipped for inclusion after shining in the Premiership leaders' defence this season.

McInnes said: "Surprised, probably not. Disappointed, yeah, absolutely.

"I think we've been a really strong team this season and there's been key players within it.

"My opinion doesn't matter, I don't really like people telling me what players to pick in my team and the only opinion that matters is Steve but it doesn't mean to say I think he's right with it.

"I do think I've got players that have earned the opportunity to be part of an international set-up but hopefully the lads' motivation keeps going, they keep doing well and hopefully in time that they get there, that's the hope.

"I speak to the lads regularly about it and I do believe that we have got players who could represent the country, there's no question of that to me.

"While there's disappointment that they're not in this squad, you all know how things can change and whether it's through injury or whatever it will be, players get opportunity.

"There's enough motivation for them to get on with here but if there's any added motivation to try and be part of a World Cup squad then of course it can only help."

When asked about the omission of Hearts players earlier this week, Clarke said the Tynecastle team is "maybe better the sum of the parts".

On those comments, McInnes said: "Yeah, I understood the context of that.

"Like I say, Steve's opinion is the only one that matters when it comes to picking the Scotland squad and I understand what he's saying with that but it doesn't mean to say that I agree that some of my players shouldn't be in the squad."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before Hearts host Dundee in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key lines from the Tynecastle boss:

• Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin are available having returned to training this week after injury lay-offs - "it looks as if they've not been away" - and McInnes says the key duo's comeback gives the squad and fans a boost.

• He adds: "Lawrence, until he went out of the team through injury, was the best striker in the league and Cammy for me was arguably the best midfielder in the league so it's good to have both boys back at such a crucial time in the season."

• McInnes will have to "weigh up" whether they are ready to start and says: "There's obviously a temptation with that but we also don't want to put ourselves in a position where you put both boys at risk and then we lose them again."

• Harry Milne, who has a slight calf strain, and Beni Baningime haven't trained all week. Tomas Magnusson suffered a fractured cheekbone in last weekend's defeat at Kilmarnock and will miss Saturday's game but should be available after that to play while wearing a mask.

• With Hearts' lead at the top now down to two points, McInnes says there is "not a lot of room for error" for all teams in the title race and none of the top four are "really catching fire" in recent weeks.

• On what went wrong in defeat at Killie, he says: "We were quite bold with our approach. It was the same team that played so well against Aberdeen but we never started the game well enough and we've got to be mindful of that."

• While McInnes sees Hearts as the title "underdog" against "heavyweights" Celtic and Rangers who have "so many obvious advantages over us", he insists: "We've got real strength and a real will to do well, a real togetherness and we're screaming with ambition to do well."

• On the pressure of the title race, McInnes says: "I think every time we lose a game, people are quite happy to point the pressure thing. When we win games, you don't get that. That's just the way it is and that's just for us, it's been a case of can we stay at the top of the league for as long as we can."

• He is glad Hearts are still "relevant" rather than being mid-table and watching the title fight with envy.

• McInnes fully believes Hearts will have a "special end" to the season and does not want to talk about having no regrets because "it's as if it's going to end up in disappointment".

• He adds: "We need to try and get back to the winning sequences [we had] at the start of the season, which elevated us into the position where people started to talk about us."

• McInnes was "not surprised" there are no Hearts players in the Scotland squad but is "disappointed" as he feels some of his squad have "earned the opportunity".

• He adds: "While there's disappointment that they're not in this squad, you all know how things can change and whether it's through injury or whatever it will be, players get opportunity. There's enough motivation for them to get on with here but if there's any added motivation to try and be part of a World Cup squad then of course it can only help."

• Saturday's game is Foundation of Hearts day at Tynecastle after fans' funding reached a £20m milestone and McInnes praised the "significant achievement that deserves to be celebrated".

Image source, SNS

Former referee Steve Conroy thinks it is "mission creep" with VAR in Scottish football before new changes to the laws for the upcoming World Cup.

VAR was introduced in Scotland almost four years ago but has frequently been criticised by fans, players, managers and former players.

Now there could be more changes to the scope of technology as football's law-making body the International Football Association Board (Ifab) backed plans to increase the powers of VAR.

For this summer's World Cup in America, VAR will be allowed to intervene on second yellow cards and the awarding of corners, provided the process doesn't slow down the flow of play.

Ifab has also expanded the countdown rule around goalkeepers where they have eight seconds to release the ball from their hands to include goal kicks and throw-ins.

But former referee Conroy thinks involving the technology in more decision-making is bad news for the game.

"It's inescapable that there is more and more mission creep with VAR," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"The authorities seem hell-bent on using it more and more and relying on it and I think that is to the detriment of football.

"I know Ifab are talking about getting them involved for corners and second yellows and all that sort of stuff. As [Celtic interim manager] Martin O'Neill said, soon enough we'll just referee from a port-a-cabin somewhere.

"And this is all happening at the same time as every football supporter survey tells you that they just want it binned."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Losing high-stakes matches can often prompt intense, reactionary fallout, with Hearts' away form coming into sharp focus after Saturday's defeat at struggling Kilmarnock.

The Scottish Premiership leaders' league form on the road is now the division's third best but is just two points worse off than Rangers, who have the best record in the top flight.

However, are Hearts fans seeing a worrying recent trend in away games that could derail their title charge?

Derek McInnes' men have the best home form in the Premiership, with a stellar unbeaten record of 11 wins and four draws from 15 matches.

Away from Tynecastle, though, they have lost their past three fixtures - at St Mirren, Rangers and Kilmarnock. Throw in December's derby defeat at Hibernian, and Hearts have suffered defeat in four of their past six away games.

In fact, after starting the season with four straight victories on the road, they have won just four of the following 11.

Hearts have only one pre-split away fixture remaining. That comes at bottom side Livingston, who have won just once all season but have recently held Rangers and Hibs to draws and were denied a point at Celtic in stoppage time last month.

Post-split scheduling will no doubt cause controversy, given the Gorgie side will have hosted Hibs, Motherwell and Falkirk twice by the time the league is cut in half.

However, trips to Easter Road and Celtic Park are expected for Hearts, plus a visit from Rangers.

Whether home or away, each top-six fixture will provide a stern test, given the standard of the Premiership's top half this term.

But the leaders have a potential banana skin to deal with in West Lothian, either side of home games against Dundee and Motherwell, before focusing on their post-split calendar as they aim to allay fears of a wobble.

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

As soon as the final whistle went at Rugby Park, you just knew there would be days of overreaction from Jambos.

I've heard a wide range of opinions from 'this defeat can be a good thing for Hearts' to 'we are definitely going to finish third at best'.

We need remember that after finishing in the bottom six last season, Hearts top the table going into the penultimate weekend in March and have led the way since late September. Derek McInnes' remit was to take us back to third place and he is on course to deliver.

McInnes has attracted flak from fans in recent days and I understand the frustrations. The main gripe supporters have is we've not used the squad well enough in the second half of the season and I think that is absolutely fair.

The defeat at Kilmarnock was arguably our worst performance of the season and I think a lot of that is down to a combination of fatigue and players picking up niggly injuries.

The drop off-in form in Alexandros Kyziridis is alarming. He should have been dropped a month ago. I know McInnes appreciates his workrate and I guess that's why he's been deployed on the right, to protect Michael Steinwender, but we're nullifying his strengths.

Kyzi playing on the left, cutting in, drives fear into opponents. We've got Sabah Kerjota, Islam Chesnokov, Alan Forrest and Rogers Mato all fit as wide options, yet we only appear to play with one out-and-out winger at times.

Mato is a strange one. We made a big push to sign him in January, with McInnes saying "he's ready to go". Since that comment, the Uganda forward has made three substitute appearance totalling 14 minutes.

I do not think our January signings – Marc Leonard aside – have improved our starting 11. I would give Jordi Altena a run in the team, but the fact he's not 6ft 2in probably means McInnes won't swap him for Steinwender.

Each weekend the billing of 'biggest game of the season' gets trotted out and it's a fair argument for this Saturday with Dundee visiting Gorgie.

There's chat around Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland returning for this. Shanks must start if fit.

We need to see a better performance and something fans can get a lift from heading into the business end of the campaign.

Image source, SNS

Chris Sutton says Hearts are still favourites for the Scottish Premiership title, despite "remarkable" Martin O'Neill continuing to find a way to win with Celtic.

The Jambos' advantage has been cut to two points following their weekend defeat at Kilmarnock, with nearest challengers Celtic fighting back to beat 10-man Motherwell.

Rangers' narrow victory at St Mirren on Sunday means the Ibrox side are now just three points off the summit and one behind their city rivals.

However, former Celtic striker Sutton believes Derek McInnes' leaders are still in the driving seat, citing the imminent returns of influential duo Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin as a key factor.

"I'm sticking with Hearts," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "You can lose to Kilmarnock. And I think everybody will beat everybody else."

On his former club, Sutton added: "The remarkable thing about Celtic under Martin O'Neill is they just keep finding a way to win.

"They're not playing good football at all. It's not like a Celtic team of previous seasons, dominating every area. It's been a real struggle for them.

"Rangers are not a particularly good watch either. It will go down to the wire."

Former Rangers head coach Russell Martin also featured on Monday's show and hailed McInnes and Hearts for "an amazing season".

He also said both Old Firm clubs will perhaps feel fortunate to still be in with a shot of the title after turbulent campaigns and suggested they will be feeling more pressure than the current leaders.

"It's such an interesting season," Martin added. "Hearts shaking it up has been really good for Scottish football as a whole. The emergence of Hearts and Motherwell has been really good for the game up there.

"There's pressure on the Old Firm always. But, I know it sounds crazy, I think Hearts have less pressure on them than the other two.

"They can play on the underdog thing from now until the end of the season."

Image source, SNS

Leaders Hearts and Rangers are planning overseas training trips while fellow Premiership contenders Celtic are on Scottish Cup semi-final duty on the weekend of 18 and 19 April. (Sun), external