Heart of Midlothian

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Craig Gordon says "methodical" head coach Neil Critchley has shaped Hearts into a "good unit" who can continue to improve under his stewardship.

Critchley was appointed in October when the side were two points adrift at the bottom of the top flight with just two points from their opening eight matches.

After a shaky start to the 46-year-old Englishman's tenure, the Jambos have lost just one game in 11 and are now in the top half of the table as Critchley eyes a first Edinburgh derby win in Sunday's showdown at Easter Road.

"There was probably only one way things could go, we had to start climbing the table," said goalkeeper Gordon.

"He's really come in and brought everyone together. He's tried a few different things. He's tried different formations, different people to find out what worked.

"He's slowly built us into a good unit that's winning matches. You've got to give him great credit for the way he's gone about it. It's been a work in progress, I'm sure he would admit that.

"Throughout the season he's been trying to add things in as we go. I can see us continuing to improve under him and continuing to push up towards the top end of the league and going into next season with high hopes for that one as well.

"Tactically and on the pitch he's very methodical about what he wants everybody to do. He's just building on that as every training session goes by. He's trying to give the players more and more information."

Should Hearts continue their stellar form, a fourth successive season in Europe could well be attainable.

Gordon added: "It's games like this between now and the end of the season that are going to determine where we finish.

"It's a good turnaround. We need to keep winning games to make sure we complete it. It would be an absolutely incredible achievement to have come from where we have to finish the season with any kind of European football."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Edinburgh derby with Hibs.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Critchley is "very excited" for the derby and wants to try to make a "good week a great week" with a third win on the bounce.

• He notes Hearts and Hibs are both in "really good form" and it has the "makings of a really good game" with both sides going for victory.

• Cammy Devlin is a doubt and despite his lay-off being "frustrating" the club are taking no chances given it was a head knock. One or two other players will be assessed but Critchley is hopeful none will be ruled out.

• Critchley says there is a "different psychological feel" to this game compared to the previous meeting at Easter Road in late October when the teams were in the bottom two Premiership spots.

• With Hearts on a run of only one defeat since their Boxing Day loss to Hibs, he says finding a team's "identity takes time" and they are now reaping the rewards for improved consistency and becoming better at both ends of the pitch.

• There is a "new energy and enthusiasm from the players," says Critchley and he highlights the impact the January additions have had on the squad and their positive run of results, saying the "belief and togetherness" has grown.

• On VAR, he says he is "not in favour" of it and "never have been", adding it "detracts from the game" and ruins it for the fans, with Hearts "probably due a few" decisions their way if the outcomes supposedly even themselves out.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

After horrendous starts to the league season, Hibs stuck by their head coach while rivals Hearts changed theirs. Both strategies appear to have worked.

When the sides drew 1-1 at Easter Road in October, three games after Neil Critchley succeeded the sacked Steven Naismith, they remained tied on points at the foot of the table, with Hibs bottom on goal difference.

Few at the time would have fancied the chances of either finishing the season in third place.

After Hibs won 2-1 at Tynecastle on Boxing Day, Hearts were still stuck in second bottom, while the visitors' win merely lifted them five points clear of the relegation play-off spot, albeit up to seventh.

However, Sunday's derby has switched from being a relegation dogfight into a race to secure a place in the top half, with Hibs having moved up to fourth and Hearts to sixth - for the first time since August - after both enjoyed 3-1 wins in midweek.

Indeed, both will have their sights set firmly on catching an Aberdeen side who have regained third spot after ending a dismal spell of their own but suffered a 5-1 thumping away to leaders Celtic on Tuesday.

Hearts, though, can ill-afford to slip up this time as they head to the other side of Edinburgh Castle, considering they are four points behind Hibs and Dundee United - and a further point adrift of the Dons.

Critchley's side have suffered just one defeat - to second-top Rangers - in 12 outings and are seven unbeaten on the road.

However, David Gray's hosts are on an even more impressive unbeaten run of 14, winning 10 of them, eight of those at Easter Road.

A derby cracker would appear assured after Hibs and Hearts displayed their new-found resilience by coming back from a goal down to beat United and St Mirren, respectively, on Wednesday.

With seven goals in eight games since arriving on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, striker Elton Kabangu has been instrumental in Hearts' mid-season push and will provide a stern test for the defensive stability that has been the foundation of Hibs' own recovery.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Sportscene pundits Michael Stewart and Richard Foster analyse the VAR-prompted decision to downgrade midfielder Killian Phillips' red card to yellow in St Mirren's midweek defeat at Hearts. (Available to UK users only)

We asked you for your thoughts on the 3-1 comeback win over St Mirren that sent Hearts into the top six.

Here's what some of you said:

Iain: Not the best of games but a win nevertheless. In the first half Hearts barely passed a ball and defended poorly. The boos at half-time were justified. Second half started poorly and I was on the verge of screaming at Neil Critchley to get some subs on when James Wilson equalised. What a lift that gave our players.

Chris: Very fortunate, poor defending allowed us a way back into the game but we were poor all over for long spells. Not sure how we won that game 3-1. The officiating tonight was diabolical, we need full-time referees.

William: In the first half, Hearts looked all over the place and St Mirren deserved their half-time lead. But whatever the manager said to the players at half-time certainly worked, we worked the ball well, moving it more crisply, and we ran out worthy winners.

Anon: Poor first half, defence rickety at times. New signings introduced and not fully match fit yet. Much better second half. Good and welcome result. Referee was weak and reactive. VAR poor and almost spoiled the match.

Jim: We need to start each match with more aggression, get on the front foot and keep the pressure on our opponents. Far too many misplaced passes, giving easy chances. Better up front now we have choices in attack but hope we have Cammy Devlin is back for Sunday's encounter.

Steve: Young James Wilson is improving with every game, Beni Baningime put in a good shift but we created very little. Got the points but the stats hide the reality. In what universe can you flatten someone late intentionally with your shoulder, as long as it's not your forearm? Why did VAR get involved? A red card all day long!

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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"It's always a tough game against St Mirren home or away, they always make it physical, they always make it a dogfight."

The words of Jamie McCart, sporting a proper shiner on his left eye, having been on the receiving end of a Mikael Mandron elbow and a Killian Phillips shoulder charge on a bruising night where Hearts' second-half comeback propelled them to a 3-1 win and top-six place.

Both St Mirren players saw yellow for their troubles, in fact Phillips briefly saw red before it was downgraded after a VAR intervention - not that Hearts boss Neil Critchley agreed.

"Having seen it back, I'm not sure he looks at the ball and he's jumped straight into the man, so I think that could be classed as dangerous play," said Critchley. "I'm not sure why the referee overturned it."

Despite that head knock, no Hearts player competed in more duels than defender McCart's tally of 21 and no player on the pitch won more than him (14), while he also led the way for Hearts with 13 clearances and four fouls won.

He wasn't the only Hearts player on the receiving end of some tasty challenges. St Mirren conceded 16 fouls, up on their average of 13 per match. Hearts only conceded eight.

Stephen Robinson's side were also shown four yellow cards and their total of 68 in the league so far is only bettered, if you can call it that, by Aberdeen.

All this tells us that McCart was right, it truly was a dogfight, but perhaps all that scrapping makes the perfect preparation before the game in every Hearts' fan's calendar - the Edinburgh derby.

Looking ahead to the huge game on Sunday, Critchley said: "We're in good form, but so are they. It's certainly going to be a different type of situation than I faced the first time I went to Easter Road back in late October. Both teams are in a different situation.

"They're in form, we're in form, so it's got the makings of a really exciting game. We look forward to it. We can go there in good confidence, but so are they. I think both teams will be looking forward to what should be a really good game."

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• James Wilson has scored five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hearts player has more.

• St Mirren have lost an away game after leading at half-time in the Premiership for the first time since 16 March 2024 against Kilmarnock (seven games without defeat).

• Hearts have won after trailing at half time in the Premiership for the first time since 3 February 2024 against Dundee (11 games without a win after trailing at half-time).

• Hearts have won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 13 April 2024 against Livingston (16 games without a win).

• St Mirren have lost after scoring the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 28 September 2024 against Motherwell (seven games without defeat).

Watch the best of the action as Hearts come from behind to beat St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

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Hearts leapfrogged St Mirren to move into the Scottish Premiership top six for the first time since August as they came from behind to beat the Paisley side at Tynecastle.

Hearts now have eight wins in their last 10 in all competitions - only losing once in that time - and move to sixth, sending St Mirren down to seventh.

What did you make of that, Hearts fans? A deserved win? Who impressed you?

Let us know your thoughts., external

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Hearts boss Neil Critchley told BBC Scotland: "It was a really tough game I thought. St Mirren aren't an easy opponent to play against, particularly when they go 1-0 up.

"It's difficult to build momentum in the game. I didn't think we were at our best, but we're finding ways to win games of football. We got a bit of fortune for the first goal but the other two were good goals.

"We defended well as a team, limited opportunities, and to score three goals against St Mirren isn't easy.

"We weren't clean or efficient in our play. I wouldn't say sloppiness but not our usual selves on the ball. We didn't play great football in the second half but moments went for us and we showed real grit and resilience."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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It had been 16 matches since Hearts won after conceding the first goal, all the way back in April 2024 against Livingston.

And at half-time, it was hard to see where they were going to produce a positive result from.

Nieuwenhof and Sander Kartum - making his first start since joining in January - looked short of match fitness in the midfield diamond and Hearts lacked the energy of the still-concussed Cammy Devlin.

However, they were handed the perfect opportunity and Wilson showed the kind of composure Hearts' desperately lacked against Rangers.

That boosted morale and atmosphere greatly, and when Nieuwenhof put them ahead, they relaxed.

St Mirren did start to throw more bodies forward and Hearts had to navigate some full-blooded challenges, and some questionable decisions, to eventually see off the visitors.

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James Wilson. There weren't many stand-out candidates, but it feels apt to give the award to the 17-year-old, who turns 18 just after the upcoming Edinburgh derby.

This kid should become some player. He has become one of Hearts' best players in his debut season and showed real composure to take his goal tonight.

The brightest talent to come out of Gorgie since Aaron Hickey.

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• Hearts have won 16 of their last 20 top-fight home games against St Mirren (D2 L2), including their last two in a row without conceding.

• St Mirren have only won once in their last five league meetings with Hearts (D1 L3), a 2-1 victory at home in September of this season.

• Hearts' Lawrence Shankland has scored (four goals) or assisted (one assist) five goals in his last six Scottish Premiership appearances against St Mirren, including two goals and an assist in his last two games against the Buddies at Tynecastle.

• St Mirren have won two of their last three league games played on a Wednesday (D1), as many as their previous 13 beforehand (W2 D4 L7).

• St Mirren's Stephen Robinson has won just two of his nine managerial away games at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L5), a 3-2 victory with Motherwell in September 2019 and a 2-0 win with the Buddies in April 2023.

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Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin remains sidelined with concussion, while defenders Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley (both hamstring) and Frankie Kent (quad) are still out but Yan Dhanda is fit again after a hip issue.

St Mirren have major doubts over Killian Phillips, Caolan Boyd-Munce and Ryan Alebiosu but Alex Iacovitti is back in training.

Evan Mooney will have a clean-up operation on an ankle injury and Conor McMenamin (calf) remains out.

Teenage Hearts striker James Wilson hopes his on-field performances will help him to pass his Advanced Higher PE exam later this year. (Daily Record), external

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Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin will remain sidelined as his concussion symptoms have failed to abate, says boss Neil Critchley.

The Australia international sustained a head knocked against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup two weeks ago and has missed the two games since - a loss to Rangers and victory over St Johnstone.

In the build-up to Wednesday night's visit of St Mirren, Critchley said: "He's still not right. I spoke to him this morning and he's still feeling the effects of the collision that he had, which is not good.

"We're not going to take any chances on his health and his wellbeing, that is the most important thing. It's frustrating for him and us, but we just have to give him the time that he needs."

The head coach had previously said Devlin had been in contention for Sunday's trip to Perth before he had a reoccurrence of his symptoms.

"He's trained a day or two and he's just not been right since. We have to take a step back, keep assessing him, keep monitoring him and then hopefully again start to build up.

"Concussion can be a five-day protocol and be back and then sometimes it can take longer. Delayed concussion is one of those delicate areas that you can't take any chances with.

"We're hoping that if we have two or three days where there's no symptoms then he can start to build back up again. That's where we're at at this moment in time."

In his absence, Hearts have tweaked their shape to a diamond midfield, with Beni Baningime impressing at the base of the quartet.

"Beni's been magnificent the last two games, playing a single six if you like on his own," Critchley added. "He's taken on that extra responsibility with Cammy not being there, of being a midfield enforcer.

"He's done a lot of work that I would say has been unnoticed, but [the media] have noticed it, which is fantastic. It's recognition for the performances he's been putting in."

Hearts can move into the top half of the Premiership for the first time this season with victory over sixth-place St Mirren.

"I just think it would fill everyone with confidence and belief," said Critchley. "This is our next opportunity, being at home, to keep our good form going, and we don't want to miss it."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Summer 2006. The season is over and Vladimir Romanov has experienced the sweet taste of Sottish Cup success.

Of course, it's all down to his amazing footballing acumen, and he wastes no time cementing his influence over the Hearts team.

Before training for the new season can begin, he's secretly rebuilding the Hearts backroom staff again.  Two new recruits come in.

First, Eduard Malofeyev - a Russian football legend, one of the best players to ever pull on a Dynamo Minsk shirt. His CV includes a two-year stint as head coach of the USSR, though more recently he has been managing FC Kaunas, owned by a certain Vladimir Romanov.

And then, maintaining the Eastern European vibe, is Ukrainian coach Anatoliy Korobochka. Vlad arranges for the new recruits to meet the cup-winning team at their training camp, which is best described as 'somewhere in the Mediterranean.'

Korobochka spoke to the Romanov: Czar of Hearts podcast about his time at the club, and one of the more memorable pre-season trips, well, ever.

"Vladimir suggested to me we go to Monaco, to France, there would be a big white ship, and we would start our practice," he recalls.

"Everything around it gave an impression of luxury, that's true, and a lot of money had been spent."

Romanov had decided Hearts' pre-season should include 10 days on an ocean-going yacht fit for an oligarch and his football team.

However, instead of closely scrutinised training sessions and fitness routines, the Hearts squad found themselves on a Mediterranean cruise, moving along the coast every few days before hopping on to dry land and hoping to find a free pitch.

"I mean, it was shocking, to be honest with you, I think it cost like 600 grand to lease for that 10 days," Paul Hartley tells the podcast.

"We used to jump off the speedboats, go into the land to find somewhere to train. This is 10 days in the Med, on this big yacht."

Despite the less-than-organised approach to the pre-season trip, Hartley wasn't too fazed by the lack of 5k runs and intricate drills.

He adds: "It was a great, it was a good holiday.

"Honestly, it was great. It was terrible pre-season, but it was a good holiday."

Episodes 1-6 of Romanov: Czar of Heart are available now on BBC Sounds, with further episodes released weekly on Saturdays.

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

Death, taxes and an eye-bleeding game of football at McDiarmid Park are three things you're guaranteed in life.

Sunday's game wasn't that bad but if it had been played in a neutral's front lawn, I wouldn't blame them for keeping the curtains shut given how terrible the pitch was.

Hearts played well in fits and spurts, with impressive individual performances from Elton Kabangu and Craig Gordon inspiring the 2-1 victory.

Kabangu has now netted seven times in his first seven appearances, yet how we'd all have hoped he could have saved one goal for the previous week against Rangers and we could be talking about Hearts being unbeaten in nine games.

The truth is, we could have lost for the second time in 2025 had it not been for Gordon's superb instinctive save at 1-1. I know there's been a running debate about whether Gordon should be dropped for Zander Clark, but given his heroics in Paisley and now in Perth, that argument is over for the rest of this campaign.

There are questions about how long the 42-year-old can last as our number one, but I sense there's a romantic desire of Gordon wanting to finish on a high and is dreaming of lifting the Scottish Cup for a fourth time in his career.

I'll park that vision for now as this week brings a double-header versus sides who will want to thwart our attempts to finally break back into the top six, with St Mirren visiting on Wednesday before Sunday's derby trip to Easter Road.

I'd expect Neil Critchley to rotate the team against St Mirren as the derby is a game, deep down, he'll prioritise given we haven't beaten Hibs in over 14 months.

I'll stick my neck out and predict Lawrence Shankland will be involved in the winner - either an assist or scoring himself - to clinch a first derby win for Critchley.

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Elton Kabangu is adamant Hearts will secure a top-six finish this season.

The Tynecastle men had a dreadful start and were bottom of the table on 22 December, but now occupy seventh after just one defeat in 10 games.

With six games to go before the split, Hearts can rise into the top half with victory on Wednesday night against a St Mirren side who sit a point above them.

Belgian forward Kabangu said: "We will be in the top six. That's the objective and I think we will be in it. I think we are good enough to be in it."

The 27-year-old is already Hearts' top scorer this season with seven goals - including three doubles - from his seven appearances since joining on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise in January.

"It feels good but it means also that the team adapts to my playing style and that I adapt really good to the team," he said.

"I can only say credit to the team because they help me and they give me confidence.

"The staff as well. Until now, it's been positive but it's not done. We have things to achieve."

Kabangu, helped by a pep talk from boss Neil Critchley, bounced back from a string of missed chances in the 3-1 defeat by Rangers to score a match-winning double at St Johnstone on Sunday.

"I was a little bit frustrated because I want to do well. The manager directly backed me and I spoke to him and he gave me a lot of confidence," he said.

"From the day we spoke, I just moved forward and I wanted to play the next games and to make things right because I know I can do it."

Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland will have "conversations" with Hearts over a new contract, with his current deal due to expire at the end of this season. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.