Heart of Midlothian

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• Motherwell have failed to win in their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 15 May 2024 to 10 August 2024.

• Hearts attempted 29 crosses in this match, higher than their season average of 28.0 in the Premiership.

• Motherwell have failed to score in six of their 20 games, only Ross County (nine) and Kilmarnock (seven) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts have scored in their last four games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of seven games from 21 September 2024 to 2 November 2024.

• Hearts have stopped the opposition from scoring a first-half goal in 12 of their 21 games, only Dundee United (13) and Celtic (17) have done this more often in the Premiership this season.

Rotherham United centre-half Jamie McCart has agreed a pre-contract deal to join Hearts this summer, with the 27-year-old former Celtic, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone defender having made 21 appearances but only 16 starts this season with the League One side. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Hull City manager Ruben Selles says it is too early to say whether an injury to Ryan Longman will impact a potential January loan move to Hearts for the 24-year-old winger who is seeking more game time. (Not The Old Firm), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Colombian left-back Andres Salazar has had his loan with Hearts cut short and will return to his parent club.

The 21-year-old joined from Atletico Nacional in the summer but made just one appearance for Hearts in a 3-1 defeat by Motherwell in August.

Head coach Neil Critchley confirmed Salazar, who has one cap for his country, has returned to Colombia.

Much-improved Hearts enjoyed the fresh start of a new year as they claimed an important and deserved Scottish Premiership victory against Motherwell.

Musa Drammeh profited from loose goalkeeping from Aston Oxborough to open the scoring after seven minutes and give Hearts the lead.

The close-range strike was initially ruled out for a foul on the Motherwell goalkeeper by James Wilson, but referee Calum Scott was sent to the monitor for a review and he overturned the original call after seeing minimal contact from the Hearts striker.

That goal turned out to be the winner but that should not have been the case for Hearts, who were totally dominant but could not find a second goal despite 17 shots.

Let us know your thoughts on Hearts' performance.

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "I said that to the players at the end - 'You're going to give me a heart attack'. I was delighted with the performance until the last little part of the game.

"That was understandable because of the result and situation against Ross County. Probably a bit of nervousness set in. The game should have been over really, but Craig [Gordon] has produced two magnificent saves. We deserved that, but he's won us the game at the end."

On the possibility of more January business, Critchley said: "I hope so. We're working incredibly hard behind the scenes. There are areas we need to strengthen.

"We've got more to do on and off the pitch. We're not going to solve everything in one window but we want to keep progressing and moving forward."

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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This is as good as Hearts have looked in some time, in particular going forward.

With Lawrence Shankland struggling for form and out with a calf injury for the next few weeks, Boyce played in behind Wilson with Spittal and Drammeh either side again.

Drammeh scrambled in the goal and gave Hearts energy and pace down the right, with the consistently excellent Penrice doing likewise down the left.

Boyce and Wilson combined precisely at times, with the former doing everything but score as he chased a first since September 2023.

One miss at the near post after a terrific Penrice cross will haunt him, and Jorge Grant's effort off the bar hit him and somehow drifted wide as luck deserted the Northern Irishman too.

He was not the only one guilty of profligacy though, with Jorge Grant, Yan Dhanda, and Kenneth Vargas also missing good chances.

That wastefulness mean it was far from perfect for Hearts, but the intensity was far more like what Critchley wants from his side.

More of this will see them climb the table, but they certainly made it hard for themselves in the end.

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley confirms Lawrence Shankland's calf issue will keep him out for the next while.

"He's had a scan and he's going to be missing for the next few weeks," he tells BBC Scotland.

"It's not serious but it's going to keep him out for the next couple of weeks."

On Shankland's future at the club, Critchley says: "I don't know. You can never predict what's going to happen in January and with him being out of contract in the summer.

"I'm sure people will look at that elsewhere, though the injury may decide otherwise. But Shanks is still here and we're planning with him. But we have to be prepared for every scenario."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Another transfer window, another speculating about the future of Lawrence Shankland.

However, whereas a year ago the Scotland striker was in a position of strength on his way to 33 goals for club and country that led to reports of interest from Rangers, the 29-year-old has found the net just three times this season.

The recent goalscoring form of 17-year-old James Wilson, who has agreed a new deal, also weakens Shankland's bargaining power.

Meanwhile, Hearts have to juggle the futures of 42-year-old Craig Gordon and fellow Scotland goalkeeper Zander Clark.

Other contracts expiring: Jorge Grant, midfielder; Barrie McKay, midfielder; Liam Boyce, forward.

Read more: Premiership summer free agents facing uncertain January

Hearts are set to bring former St Johnstone defender Jamie McCart, 20, back to Scotland from Rotherham United. (Sun), external

Defensive player Lewis Neilson, 21, is to return to Hearts from St Johnstone following a loan spell. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Two stoppage-time goals were not the belated Christmas present for which Neil Critchley was hoping as his Hearts side squandered a two-goal lead away to Ross County last time out.

Coming immediately after losing the Boxing Day derby at home to Hibernian, it means the pressure that lifted off the Englishman's shoulders following his side's win over St Johnstone to move themselves above the Saints at the bottom of the table has swiftly returned.

Hosting a Motherwell side who have only lost once in five outings - away to leaders Celtic - and were unfortunate to only draw at home to Rangers last time out is not the easiest of introductions to a new year.

Indeed, the Edinburgh side suffered a 3-1 reverse the last time the sides met at Fir Park in August.

However, Critchley reckoned it was only two "crazy moments" that prevented them leaving Dingwall with only their third win in 12 outings.

Could this be the time for Lawrence Shankland to rediscover his scoring touch considering the Scotland striker has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight league appearances against Motherwell, scoring six and assisting two?

Or will 17-year-old strike partner James Wilson build on his Dingwall double in a fixture that has failed to produce a draw in 11 meetings since March 2020?

Read all the Premiership picks

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

Where do you even begin when it comes to the topic of Heart of Midlothian Football Club?

This year has been a rollercoaster of emotions supporting Hearts but for this past week, it feels like we have been trapped onboard and performing continuous loops, despite screaming wanting to get off after being sick with emotion.

Emotional is one way to describe the chaotic last 7 days especially. I said a few weeks ago that defeat to Hibs in the derby would have be 'unthinkable' and the reality of that provides a worse hangover than most of Scotland waking up on New Year's Day.

There's such a mental fragility with this squad, I genuinely believe that the collapse in Dingwall will rock us to new lows.

With the Motherwell game on Thursday, I think it's destined that we get beat and one of six former Hearts players in their side scoring the winner.

With confidence at the lowest ebb in five years, what do you do? Does Neil Critchley drop Craig Gordon for Zander Clark? Does he bring back Lawrence Shankland and drop Liam Boyce, who was our second best player from Dingwall after Wilson.

Or do Hearts as a club look at other managerial options if Critchley fails to beat Motherwell? It feels mad to non-Jambos that supporters are talking about Critchley's potential exit but there's been many red flags in such a short space of time.

There's real discontent and apathy amongst supporters, to the point that there's planned protests ahead of the Motherwell game on Thursday. Now, whatever I say here won't sit well with someone of a maroon persuasion but I feel it's a bit knee jerk.

Had we seen the game out at 2-0, would there be fan demonstrations? The answer of course is no. Given what I've said previously about the mentality of this team, do we really think that added scrutiny and pressure before the Motherwell game, will see these players rise to the occasion?

So if you're a Jambo, you're best to make sure the buckle is fastened and come to terms that this rollercoaster isn't ending any time soon.

Hibernian are considering a pre-contract move for Zander Clark with the Scotland goalkeeper frustrated by his current lack of game time with city rivals Hearts, while Rotherham United's Cameron Dawson could arrive as early as next month with summer loan signing Josef Bursik out of the picture after a horrific start to his time in Scotland. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Heart of Midlothian have won four of their last five home league meetings with Motherwell, losing the other 1-0 in September 2023.

• None of Hearts and Motherwell's last 11 league meetings have been drawn, with the Steelmen winning five and losing six since a 1-1 stalemate in March 2020.

• Hearts won their opening Scottish Premiership match in 2022 (2-0 v St. Johnstone), 2023 (3-0 v Hibernian), and 2024 (2-1 v Livingston).

• Motherwell haven't won their opening league game of a calendar year since 2020 (1-0 v Aberdeen), failing in four years since (D2 L2).

• Heart of Midlothian's Lawrence Shankland has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight league appearances against Motherwell, scoring six and assisting two.

Winger Elton Kabangu, 26, verbally agrees to join Hearts on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise in January. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Hearts supporters plan to stage a protest against the club's hierarchy before Thursday's home fixture against Motherwell. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Hearts' Zander Clark, 32, and Rotherham's Cameron Dawson, 29, are on Hibernian's list of potential goalkeeper signings. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

Watch Sportscene analysis of Hearts 2-2 draw against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

(Available to UK users only)

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The Scottish FA's key match incident panel believe Hearts should have been awarded a penalty against Ross County.

Neil Critchley's side were 2-0 up at Dingwall when referee Ross Hardie pointed to the spot following Michee Efete's foul on James Penrice.

VAR intervened and asked the official to have another look at the incident and upon reflection, Hardie deemed to contact to have started outside the area and a free-kick was awarded instead.

But the majority of the panel agreed with the initial onfield decision, even though the initial foul had occurred outside the penalty area, four of the panel members believed there was a further foul inside the box and a penalty should have been awarded.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, where does your club need to strengthen?

Who do you want brought in and who - if anyone - is it time to ship out?

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