Hearts defender Lewis Neilson, 21, was inspired by his former next door neighbour, Scotland international Stuart Armstrong, when both were based in Dundee. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Former Hearts forward Craig Wighton suffered a serious-looking heading injury in Montrose's League 1 defeat by Arbroath, with the match subject to a lengthy delay. (Sun), external
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSAn "exciting" season finale is driving Hearts' centre-back Craig Halkett back to fitness after a couple of injury-hit campaigns.
The 29-year-old has managed just 27 league appearances across three seasons, with 12 of those coming this year.
Halkett returned to action towards the end of 2024 before suffering a hamstring injury in their game against Kilmarnock at the end of January.
"I think it goes under the radar a little bit how tough it is to get back from such a big injury," Halkett said. "I've fallen on the wrong side of that and picked up a few things since I've been back.
"The last six or seven weeks have been frustrating but I've worked hard. The rehab has been intense and tough. So I'm feeling fit and feeling good and ready to go.
"It was hard, this season especially. I came back in pre-season feeling great. I managed to get in the team and then found myself out for a few months which was frustrating.
"I worked hard every day, got back in and just around Christmas I felt the best I'd felt in a long time. Playing well, doing well. The last thing I thought would happen was pick up another injury but unfortunately it happened.
"I've worked so hard these last five or six weeks to get on with myself and as best shape as possible. I'm feeling fit and ready to go."
Now, the former Livingston man is racing to be back fit for the closing stages of the season - including Hearts' Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen later this month.
"I think that's something that's drove myself and the other injured players to work hard and get back fit as soon as we can," he added. "We haven't rushed things by all means but we've worked hard.
"The thought of a semi-final and potentially a final to play for and top six in European places, it could be a really exciting end of the season. There's a lot to play for and it's an exciting time."
Image source, SNSHearts defenders Jamie McCart, Stephen Kingsley and Frankie Kent are all pushing for a return to contention after injury but Gerald Taylor (knee) and Aidan Denholm (hamstring) are still out.
United have Emmanuel Adegboyega back from suspension but will make late decisions on fitness concerns for several unnamed players.
Qualifying for Europe will not define Hearts' summer transfer business, says head coach Neil Critchley. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSHearts have been given an extra 1,941 tickets for their Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen later this month.
After selling out their original allocation of 19,000 tickets, a further 1,000 were also sold to Hearts ers.
Following discussions with the Scottish FA, the Tynecastle club have now been given an extra batch of almost 2,000 for the Hampden game.
Hearts take on Aberdeen on 19 April with a 12:30 BST kick-off, live on BBC One Scotland.
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSNeil Critchley says the current set-up in the Scottish top flight "can't be right" and "can't be fair" as discussions continue over possible restructuring.
Hearts are sixth in the league and need to win both of their pre-split matches - against Dundee United and Motherwell - to guarantee a top-half finish.
Critchley took charge at Tynecastle in October and says he is not experienced enough in Scottish football to offer an opinion on what is the best route forwards, but believes some teams having more home games than others provides an imbalance.
"Obviously I've seen the reports this week about the possibility of the reconstruction of the league," he said. "I don't yet feel as though I've been here long enough to offer my opinion.
"From the general consensus of everyone that I've spoken to, staff, ers, they would like more teams in the league for competition for variety. If you get that, then I don't think the split happens.
"It doesn't seem quite right that you possibly play more games away or at home. That then suggests that the competition can't be fair, which for me, from a logical way of looking at things, can't be right.
"My general feeling is surely more teams, home and away. There's pros and cons for everything, isn't there?
"I know finances play a part in that as well, but variety is the spice of life and we all want a little bit more variety in the competition, I think."
After Craig Halkett returned to the squad last weekend, fellow defenders Jamie McCart, Frankie Kent and Stephen Kingsley are all back in full training and pushing for involvement in Sunday's visit of Dundee United.
"So far, the players who've returned, there's been no complications, no issues," added Critchley.
"They've trained, they're feeling good. It's nice to have their presence on the pitch, their experience and seniority back into the group. They've got good voices around the dressing room.
"They add a lot to the group, and you can see how keen they are to be involved. I think they sense we could be in for a really good end to the season."
George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSHearts head coach Neil Critchley has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United on Sunday.
Here are the best bits from his news conference:
Critchley says his team will "attack" the two games before the split with "positivity and optimism" as they aim to secure a top-six finish.
He doesn't feel qualified to offer an opinion on a potential restructuring of the top flight, but says everyone he has spoken to would like more teams in the division and "more variety".
Critchley adds the current split at 33 matches "can't be fair" with some teams having more home games than others.
Critchley stressed the importance of the race for the top six being in Hearts' hands and how he wants to keep driving improvement until the end of the season.
On Dundee United, Critchley expects a "really tough, awkward" match on Sunday, but wants to "take the game" to the visitors at Tynecastle.
He says Hearts are planning for nine remaining matches, which would require a victory against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final. He also insists a top-six finish is not a success if they miss out on Europe.
Gerald Taylor remains out, but Craig Halkett, Jamie McCart and Frankie Kent are all in contention for Sunday's game. Stephen Kingsley missed training earlier this week through illness, but trained today.
Image source, SNSHearts have lost just one of their past nine Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W6 D2), although that was their last at home in September this season (1-0).
After that 1-0 win in September, United could win back-to-back top-flight away games at Hearts for the first time since February 2012 under Peter Houston.
Hearts have won six of their past eight home league games (L2), including both of their past two. Hearts last won three successive home matches in the Scottish Premiership in February 2024.
United are the only side in the Premiership this season to pick up at least half of their points away from home (52% - 23/44), winning their last game 1-0 away to Ross County.
Hearts have won four of their past five games against newly-promoted opposition in the Scottish Premiership (L1), as many as their previous 20 beforehand (W4 D8 L8).
Hearts are looking at options to sign a new right-back when the summer transfer window opens and will work with sports recruitment firm Jamestown Analytics to identify possible targets. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay says the Scottish Premiership club are well down the line with summer transfer targets despite Brighton & Hove Albion majority owner and chairman Tony Bloom's proposed £10m investment yet to be finalised. (Hearts Standard), external
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
BBC Scotland football reporter Brian McLauchlin has been answering some of your questions on Hearts.
Anoni asked: Any inkling about how Hearts would vote in any league reconstruction proposals? And as a fan-run club, would they lean toward listening to the general fan for some sort of league expansion?
Brian answered: It's only a few years ago, during the dark days of Covid, that Ann Budge and the Hearts board submitted suggestions for a change in the current league set-up. Of course this came about after the league was halted and led to Hearts - and Partick Thistle and Stranraer - being relegated when arguably other options were available.
One of the main reasons for this current discussion is the new format for European football and the extra fixtures that come with this. And given the fact Hearts will be hopeful in the coming years of participating at this level I would suggest a small reduction in the number of league fixtures would be welcome.
I also feel that given that Hearts are now a fan-owned club, although not fan run, the Foundation of Hearts would be canvassed for their opinion.
Alistair asked: Given that the January window was arguably Hearts' best in a long time - and with big earners out of contract in the summer - how big can the partnership with Jamestown Analytics be for Hearts' prospects next season?
William asked: Where do you think Hearts need to strengthen next season?
Brian answered: The partnership with Jamestown Analytics may have come as a surprise and been questioned about its merits by many fans, but within the 'football industry', it is looked upon as a game changer for Hearts long term.
Everyone will have their own views on recruitment being either good, bad or indifferent, but put plainly, its success will only be determined by results on the pitch and whether the level of investment in players can be looked on as good value.
Jamestown Analytics is deemed to be one of the world leaders on data and recruitment. The examples of Brighton down south and Union St-Gilloise in Belgium are the two most high-profile examples of success.
But these successes didn't happen overnight and I think it will take possibly another three or four transfer windows before we see the full benefits of this at Tynecastle.
Work is already underway with regards new recruits in the summer. The right-back area has been a troublesome one over the past few seasons and I would fully expect some movement in that position.
I would also not rule out at least one new striker coming in and the midfield to be bolstered. However, decisions will have to be made about who is offered the opportunity to stay on and, like all good recruitment models, a budget has to be adhered to and ensure there is no overspend.
Greig asked: If you had a magic wand and there was one thing you could bring into this Hearts team from the past, what would it be and why?
Brian answered: Great question. When I look back at the 1998 team, that was special. Jim Jefferies cultivated a squad over a four or five-year period with a mixture of youth and experience that was able to create their own piece of history by winning the Scottish Cup.
There were many excellent individuals in the squad, the likes of Colin Cameron and David Weir plus young talent such as Gary Naismith and Paul Ritchie; they were truly a team of terrific players.
On cup final day, 10 of the 14 Hearts players used were Scots while Gilles Rousset, Stephane Adam, Thomas Flogel, with the now sadly departed Stefano Salvatori giving the squad the foreign twist. One of the best Hearts teams I have ever seen.
Image source, SNSTalks are ongoing with SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster about a potential Scottish Premiership restructure
Is the Scottish Premiership in need of a shake-up? If so, how do you go about it?
News emerged on Tuesday that the SPFL is considering changing Scotland's top flight to a 10, 14 or 16-team division in an attempt to help reduce fixture congestion.
In its current 12-team form, the clubs split into a top and bottom six after 33 rounds of matches, with 38 rounds played altogether.
That format has been in place since 2000-01 and retaining that model is also an option, but reports have also suggested the split could be scrapped.
For any fresh structure to , it needs the backing of 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs, and eight out of 10 from the Championship plus 75% of League One and League Two combined.
And judging by the fan reaction to the mere thought of reducing the league to a 10-team division, you would have to assume that idea is already unlikely.
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, former Premiership players Cammy Bell and Cillian Sheridan provided their views on a potential restructure.
Expansion is the only option for former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Bell, while ex-Celtic striker Sheridan would like to see the split retained.
"I think we need a little bit of freshness about our game," Bell said. "So, if we can expand that league, then absolutely do it. We've got big enough clubs now that can generate good crowds.
"We're at a time just now where we've got the potential of trying to change it and certainly for me it's got to be expansion."
"The split works now," Sheridan added. "When I first came over and saw the whole split thing, I just never really got it. But in the past few years it has been quite interesting.
"If the league is wrapped up, if relegation is wrapped up, it does add a little bit of excitement to things in of teams getting into the top six and having to get European football."
Heart of Midlothian head coach Neil Critchley has reassured midfielder Yan Dhanda and winger Alan Forrest they still have a part to play at Tynecastle Park despite falling out of the starting line-up this year. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.
What would you like to ask our Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin about Hearts?
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Greg Playfair
Fan writer
As we enter the month of April, we'll know in a couple of weeks if the players and staff at Hearts are considered foolish or fully ed by fans as we look to cement our place in the Premiership top six and reach the Scottish Cup final.
Following the 3-0 defeat at leaders Celtic, optimism has taken a slight hit for some Jambos and I can see why.
Head Coach Neil Critchley's 'big game' record is often brought up in the wake of a defeat, and it's true he has failed to beat Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen or Hibs in his time in charge.
The worst of the lot of course is the Petrocub game and even talking about it now still angers me three months on.
People can look at the result from Celtic Park and shrug their shoulders and say 'What do you expect? You got off lightly,' which is true, considering Celtic sat in park mode in the second half never mind going into first gear.
Critchley set the team up to press Celtic high and went with a 3-4-1-2, and we fashioned some good first-half opportunities through Lewis Neilson and James Wilson. Both players should have scored but Celtic were clinical, netting with their only three chances in the opening 45 minutes.
In fairness, Neilson is only in the team because we had four centre-backs unavailable and Wilson has just turned 18.
There's always a mental obstacle for players to overcome when facing Celtic or Rangers away and as soon as player of the year-elect Daizen Maeda scored the opener, you could just tell from the body language that any belief to head back along the M8 with at least a point had evaporated.
Critchley and the team need to pick themselves up quickly for the visit of Dundee United on Sunday, a match we have to win to keep pace in the race for top six.
With two matches to go until the Scottish Premiership splits, only four points separate the teams in sixth and ninth as they fight to squeeze into the top half and potentially secure European football next season.
Dundee United's narrow win in Dingwall means they are almost certain to be in the top half regardless of their results against Hearts and St Johnstone before the split.
Data company Opta give Jim Goodwin's side a 99% chance of being in the top six given their six-point buffer and superior goal difference to St Mirren, Motherwell and Ross County.
At the other end of the spectrum, they rate County's chance as next to zero, at 0.3%, given they have a four-point gap to make up on sixth-placed Hearts with a far poorer goal difference.
Hearts are only one point above both St Mirren and Motherwell, but the Tynecastle side's superior goal difference is almost worth an extra point at this stage, and they are heavy favourites to sneak in with a 66% chance.
However, Neil Critchley's side play Motherwell away in their final match before the split, which could prove crucial given the congested nature of the table.
St Mirren are away to Dundee and home to Ross County as they attempt to overhaul Hearts, buoyed by their dominant 5-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday.
And Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer is hoping to bounce back from their defeat by Aberdeen when they travel to Rugby Park next weekend before that all-important match against Hearts.
"The league always feels - Celtic and Rangers are a bit different - like you could beat everyone," said John Sutton, who played as a striker for three of the sides hoping for a top-six spot in Hearts, St Mirren and Motherwell.
"The split gets knocked a little bit, I really liked it as a player. You make the top six, and it's game on, trying to get European qualification.
"I think if you take Celtic and Rangers out of things to an extent, every game's a very tricky game. I expect the picture to change this weekend and I expect it to change the following weekend as well."
Watch all the highlights from Celtic's victory over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
Available to UK s only.
Image source, SNSNeil Critchley said he will "live and die" by the principles of how he wants Hearts to play football, after they succumbed to a 3-0 loss against Celtic.
The Gorgie side started brightly at Celtic Park but soon lost three first-half goals and failed to land a punch on Celtic after that.
That led to Hearts boss Critchley itted he was looking for "damage limitation" ahead of an uneventful second half.
"I don't want the players to lose belief in who I want us to be," he said. "In my opinion, as a coach, you always have to protect or develop the traditions of the football club.
"It's always been built on going toe-to-toe, being on the front foot, being aggressive. We'll learn from that."
Hearts failed to have a shot between the 38th and 87th minute in the game, as they struggled to create anything in the second-half.
"I want us to be that team and get better at being the team we were in the first half and doing that for longer, and doing it better and doing it against top opponents.
"That's what we've got to strive for. That's where we want to be and this is the type of teams we want to be playing against and competing against for longer every week. That's my test as a coach and that's where I want us to move forward as a club.
"The principles of how we play the game, I will live and die by that and protect those principles that I think represent the club that I think we should be."
Hearts fans, we asked for your views on the the 3-0 loss to Celtic in Glasgow yesterday. Here's a taste of what you had to say...
Bobster: Tame, gutless, unacceptable. Hearts rolled over again in a predictable 3-0 loss — no fight, no urgency, no pride. Neil Critchley must realise that he is on borrowed time. Fans deserve better than this spineless showing. Why should we accept it?
Jim: Absolutely crazy to move your best defender into midfield against the best team in Scotland. We have no chance of progressing with this guy in charge. Next season will be the same. A mid-table team.
Ian: "The players did exactly what I asked them to do," Critchley said. Did he ask them not to score any goals and concede three by half time? Give us a break! It's been a poor season performance-wise from Hearts, under both managers. The defence is still suspect, midfield over run and poor finishing up front. Two wins will see us in the top six, but then what?
County Jambo: Nothing changes when we go to Glasgow. The shape didn't look right from the off and we took too long to change. Desperate for pace all over the team. Top six is going to be a scrap.
Peter: Critchley was right to take the initiative and attack from the outset. In doing that, we must capitalise on the chances created, but we did not. Celtic were Celtic, fast at the counter attack, even when under pressure, and our defence is not at full strength.
This game was never likely to yield anything and we now focus on winning the next two games as that is all that matters. Results for Hibs and Aberdeen make it much less likely now to secure a European place, but that is not our immediate focus.
Steve: Our potential player of the year, James Penrice, who plays left-back gets moved into midfield. Our left back yesterday, who's never played in the Premiership gets his debut away to the soon-to-be champions. Playing three central strikers weakened our already static midfield. It looked like a practice match for Celtic. Critchley not the man.
Alan: Yet another meek capitulation by Hearts at Celtic Park - is it worth turning up? Why not just give them the points? A complete team selection disaster by Critchley. Playing three forwards up front is just suicide. 3-0 actually seems like a victory, it really could have been any score. It is clearly evident that we are lacking real experience and leadership on the park and this surely has to be addressed in the summer. A huge clear out is necessary and I say that as a huge understatement.
Image source, SNSDaizen Maeda has scored in each of his last five games in the Premiership (seven goals), his longest scoring streak in the competition. He has scored 15 goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), more than any other player.
Nicolas Kuhn has assisted eight goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other player.
Celtic have scored in their last 12 games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 24 games from 16 March 2024 to 7 December 2024. They've scored in 29 of their 31 games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.
Celtic are unbeaten in their last 32 Premiership matches when leading at half-time (W29, D3) dating back to 10 December 2023 against Kilmarnock (L1-2).
Celtic have stopped the opposition from scoring a first-half goal in 24 of their 31 games, more than any other in the Premiership this season.
Jota has contributed to goals in his last six home games in the Premiership (three goals, three assists).
Hearts did not attempt a shot between the 38th and 87th minute.
Hearts have a record of W0, D1, L8 when conceding the opening goal away from home in the Premiership this season.
Lawrence Shankland made his 100th appearance for Hearts in the Premiership.
Image source, SNSHearts head coach Neil Critchley: "The players did exactly what I asked them to do.
"We wanted to come here and be on the front foot and give it a right go and the players did that and we created some good moments off the back of it.
"It's my responsibility because I've asked the team to play like that and you know there's a high risk and high reward because it can leave you exposed at the back and they go and score with their first two chances.
"We had a chance to go 2-1 and didn't take it, at 3-0 the game is pretty much done. You can only ask as a coach that the players try and do what you've asked them to do to the best of their abilities and I think they did that for the whole game.
"The team we were in the first half, that's what represents Hearts. It's a team that's on the front foot, goes toe-to-toe is brave and has a go. We created good moments by doing that but you know if you're going to open up half the pitch to good athletes there's a risk with that and I'm happy to take that.
"I don't want us to be the team we were in the second half and be ive but I did that because goal difference might come into play in the top six so we had to think about the final outcome of the game."
Were you at Celtic Park or following the match elsewhere?
Either way, we want your views on the game - have your say here.
