Heart of Midlothian

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• No player has scored more goals in the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership than Hearts defender Stuart Findlay (three). It's already his joint-highest scoring season in the competition, while he could become the first player to score in each of his first three top-flight appearances for Hearts since Rudi Skacel netted in his first seven in 2005-06.

• Hearts have won six of their past seven home league games against Motherwell, including each of their latest three in a row since a 1-0 reverse in September 2023.

• Motherwell have only had one win in their past six Scottish Premiership games against Hearts (D1 L4), a 3-1 victory in August 2024.

• Hearts have won each of their past six games in the Scottish Premiership, last winning more in a row in the top flight in September 2005 under George Burley (eight).

• Motherwell have only won two of their past 13 away league games (D3 L8), 2-1 wins at Rangers in March and Dundee in May.

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before the Premiership home game against Motherwell this weekend.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• An injury to Ryan Fulton, who is out for three to four months with a groin tear, has "accelerated" the need to find a new goalkeeper.

• With Fulton sidelined and Craig Gordon still recovering from injury, Liam McFarlane has been recalled from his Alloa Athletic loan.

• McInnes also revealed that 21-year-old midfielder Finlay Pollock has suffered a fresh hamstring injury that "doesn't look good for him".

• McInnes says neither his nor Hearts' "bubble has burst" after last week's defeat to St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup, instead insisting his "bubble is absolutely bubbling".

• He adds: "I'm not going to have this negativity hanging about. At Hearts, we need to be ready to bounce back quickly."

• McInnes is now "totally focused on making sure that we continue what's been a good start" and reiterates that the club's feelgood factor cannot be diminished, adding: "We've got a lot going for us here, and it's important that we try and maximise that."

• He is targeting two wins in the next two matches to maintain Hearts' 100% Premiership start as they want to end the opening group of fixtures strongly before the first international break.

• McInnes praised Motherwell's style change under new manager Jens Berthel Askou: "A lot of that has been with a lot of the players who were already in the building, and obviously they've brought a few players in to try and help with that style. And you'd have to say, up until now, they've done really well."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

I've got to be honest, I've missed the overreaction you find from Hearts supporters on a Saturday night after a defeat.

I say defeat, yet the truth was we were a Claudio Braga saved penalty away from perhaps progressing to the quarter-finals of the League Cup at St Mirren's expense.

Despite this, you can believe that most performances from those wearing maroon were questioned at some point during the journey back along the M8 - from Zander Clark's 'almost' save in the shoot-out to the ineffectiveness of Oisin McEntee at right-wing back.

Ultimately, every Jambo was unanimous in their assertion that head coach Derek McInnes had to bear the brunt of responsibility for our cup exit – and to be fair, he did hold his hands up.

McInnes saying pre-match that Hearts players should aspire to win this trophy and that we need to get to the final really ramped up the stakes but the reality is that we were not equipped for the challenge that awaited us in Paisley.

Having three guys making their first team starts - Pierre Landry Kabore, Alexandros Kyziridis and Tomas Magnusson - against top-flight opposition away to a Stephen Robinson side was always a tad ambitious, given they are all adjusting to life at Hearts.

Add in shoehorning McEntee at right wing back in a new 3-4-3 system was always a tad bizarre, given how much he's been great in the midfield engine room. For McInnes to see fit to go a man less in the midfield really was his biggest error of judgement so far as our gaffer in competitive games.

You reap what you sow and to be honest I didn't think we genuinely ever looked like scoring from open play over the 120 minutes and that's got to be a concern for us.

The thing I was frustrated with most from last Saturday was that James Wilson left with more splinters from the bench than minutes on the pitch.

At the risk of feeling the wrath of supporters and the latest flavour of the month, Braga, I would honestly rather start Wilson with Lawrence Shankland than with any other striker. I just feel Wilson has the highest ceiling of any of the players we have in the bloated first team squad and we should be rewarding him after carrying the team at times on his own last season.

The Motherwell game will be interesting to see how McInnes sets the team up. A flat back four with Michael Steinwender playing at right-back has to be what we go with, unless he brings Adam Forrester out of the footballing wilderness, where he's been in for the past couple of weeks following his interrupted loan spell at St Johnstone.

With our expected rivals for third place concentrating on their European exploits for the next week, we've really got to capitalise against the Steelmen and pick up three points to continue our 100 per cent league record.

Brighton are among the English Premier League clubs keeping close tabs on Hearts' Scotland under-16 international Keir McMeekin. (Daily Record), external

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Former Celtic and Kilmarnock striker Cillian Sheridan was "surprised" to see Hearts knocked out of the League Cup.

Investor Tony Bloom made it clear that success for Hearts this season is silverware and, at the very least, upsetting the old firm dominance of the Scottish Premiership.

But after losing on penalties to St Mirren on Saturday, the opportunity for a trophy is getting slimmer.

Sheridan felt the performance against Stephen Robinson's side was not that of a typical Derek McInnes team.

"Yeah I am surprised at the level of performance," he told the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.

"Probably not a typical Derek McInnes team performance. It definitely would have been a game that they really fancied.

"Even hearing the way Derek McInnes was talking before the game about players coming to win trophies there and win silverware, I think that kind of was planted in the players' heads.

"He's probably come in to win as well and he would have seen that as a chance. So that'll be big disappointment for them.

Despite the loss Sheridan thinks Hearts can still achieve success, and certainly doesn't feel this result should cause panic yet.

"I'd fancy Derek's teams usually to bounce back from performances like that," he added.

"He's a good man manager, motivator. He'll get them up again for their next game.

"Also, I think you have to give St Mirren their credit. You cant forget how good and hard to play against they are.

"It's not like they've got knocked out to a lower league team or a team lower down the table. They've been put out by a good hard-to-beat St Mirren team".

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Derek McInnes has vowed Hearts will improve after their "sore" Premier Sports Cup defeat.

The Tynecastle club's winning start to the season was ended by St Mirren on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Paisley.

But the new manager is confident there are better days ahead for his side.

"There's nothing wrong with saying that we want to get into cup finals and be successful because that's our responsibility and I believe we will be," McInnes said.

"But there's also got to be a recognition that we're coming from a long way back.

"We've played the team who finished fifth last season, Aberdeen, we beat them. We've played the team who finished fourth last season, Dundee United.

"Now we've played the team who finished sixth, so it's all top-six teams, teams who have been building for the last couple of years and it's not straightforward just to come to these places and win, as we've seen.

"A lot of our boys will have seen inside Scottish football and what cup ties take here in this country.

"I still think we can be better, but there's been more good than not and I'm enjoying working with the lads and they've knocked their pan in.

"I'm disappointed for the supporters because they all came with high expectations, but we will improve, we'll get better as we go along.

"It's a sore one but we'll now set ourselves small targets ahead of the international break and hopefully we can bounce back into work on Monday and get back to winning ways."

We asked for your views on Hearts' defeat on penalties against St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup.

Here's what some of you said:

Paul: Looked like a team believing their own hype about winning trophies but with no clue about the effort and commitment needed to actually do this. A reality check showing we are evenly matched with a team that just made the top-six.

Calum: Way too early in the season to be throwing the proverbial toys, but I'm not sure Hearts are suited to this three at the back. We look a lot more dynamic with four! Also a strange game to chuck our new signings into. We need *far* more creativity against a team that sits deep.

Jockie: The blame lies at Derek McInnes' feet, the wrong team was picked to start a one-off game. It should have been our strongest team playing, not starting with two players who had barely kicked a ball competitively for Hearts.

Colin: Too many Hearts fans are delusional if they think we can split the Old Firm! Having watched all the games so far we have a long way to go. We are a work in progress, we came up short against a team who battle hard. We are not clinical enough and too passive.

Alistair: We couldn't handle the closing down and man marking of the Saints and suffered with a starting line-up containing too many players making debuts. This was the first time McInnes got his team selection and tactics wrong and it cost us dearly.

Paul: St Mirren are a nightmare to play against. Huge team, who fight and scrap for everything but if you know that beforehand then you need to have your team in the same mindset. Hearts don't seem capable of doing that.

St Mirren prevailed on penalties against Hearts to reach the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals after a tense match in the Paisley sunshine.

Shamal George's save to deny Claudio Braga resulted in the only unconverted spot-kick in the shootout as the Buddies avenged last season's loss on penalties to Hearts in the Scottish Cup.

Give us your thoughts on Hearts' loss.

Read the full match report.

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes: "I've got to admit that I thought St Mirren came out of the traps better than us, thought they were first to every ball, thought they were brighter, just when we thought we'd kind of contained it and we were kind of going toe to toe with them a wee bit, we lost a really poor goal.

"So, disappointed with that goal, but I thought we were a better team in the second half, I thought the changes helped us, I thought we were a better team through extra time.

"We deservedly got a goal, I thought we looked more likely to win the game than St Mirren throughout that, but you have to say we've not lost the game because St Mirren scored all of their penalties, we've said that to the players as well.

"We've lost the game because we've not taken advantage of being in control of the game. We've got to find more, we've got to find within ourselves, somebody to make that extra run, first contact, the confidence to go and take people on more, and just to try to force the game a wee bit.

"I don't think we accepted going on the penalties, and I think that would be wrong. I think that's too far, but with the same token, we didn't do enough to win it in the extra time and saying that, I thought we were the better team.

"But I congratulate St Mirren, they've won a tie that was always going to be a tight tie, we felt it was going to be, and we have not done enough to win it.

"I think, you know, coming away to Paisley, maybe I started one or two too many who are still new to the Scottish game and that's something for me to resonate with and think about tonight and over the next few days."

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Harry Milne is relishing the opportunity to stake his claim for the left-back spot in Hearts' new era after the summer departure of James Penrice to AEK Athens "opened a door".

Milne has started the first two games of the Premiership campaign after being restricted to just three appearances in the second half of last term following his January move from Partick Thistle.

"I'm really enjoying it. I made no secret last year that I wanted to come in and play football," said the 28-year-old.

"James had such an amazing season last season. It was always going to be quite tough for me coming into that environment to try and displace him.

"He's got a move now, which he thoroughly deserves, it's opened a door for me. It's also opened a door for Stephen Kingsley as well, who's still here.

"There's a lot of competition for places and that's the same all over the squad. For me personally, to be able to get that nod in the first couple of games and deliver half-decent performances is a good way to go about it.

"Through the summer, I've worked hard and whether James was here or not, I was going to try and push him all the way to get that place. With that new manager bounce, everyone wants to impress."

Milne, who was cup tied for Hearts' defeat by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final in April, hopes to help his side take a step towards returning to Hampden when they visit St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup second round on Saturday.

"To see half of Hampden all filled out in that maroon was special for me," he added.

"We're two games away from getting a semi-final at Hampden, so that's got to be the target."

Hearts are set to have Beni Baningime and Calem Nieuwenhof back after injury but Craig Gordon, Jamie McCart, Finlay Pollock and Kenneth Vargas remain sidelined.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Simo Valakari has no issues with Hearts loanee Adam Forrester making a quick return to Tynecastle, with the St Johnstone manager saying "we all knew" how the cooperation agreements would work.

Under the new Scottish FA initiative, Premiership teams are able to send under-21 players to clubs lower in the pyramid over and above the current loan system.

Last week Hearts entered into a player partnership with St Johnstone and right-back Adam Forrester moved to Perth on a season-long loan.

However, such is the fluidity of the cooperation system, he has now returned to Tynecastle because of an injury to right-back Christian Borchgrevink.

Valakari said: "Nothing has changed. I would like to have him very much here, but we all knew it.

"Hearts have the power. Adam as a player, he knew what that type of agreement is.

"If something happens they can call him back. They did call him back so he is now there. Now he is there I am not going to waste any more of my focus on this and this.

"For me we knew it when we signed the agreement that can happen, it happened.

"Yes he can [come back to St Johnstone in the future] but I can't control what Hearts are doing, so we are focused on what we have here."

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Can Hearts live up to Tony Bloom's audacious claim they can vie for the title this season?

New minority shareholder Bloom wants Hearts to be champions within 10 years, but former manager Robbie Neilson says the first aim is to challenge the established big two.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, Neilson said: "It's now about competing against the Old Firm for Hearts. That's where I see them. They look the dominant third force.

"The question will be can they make the step to go beyond one of them, which is obviously with Tony Bloom coming in? That's what they're trying to do.

"But I think it will be very, very difficult over the course of a full season.

"One of the big things about Hearts is momentum, especially when you're at Tynecastle. If you can build that momentum of winning games, which they have managed to do in the group stages of the League Cup, you then take that into the league.

"It's really there at the moment, but the first big question will be when the Old Firm come to town, can you turn them over?

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

No wonder there is renewed optimism around Tynecastle this season. And the team's flying start to the campaign has further bolstered the feelgood factor.

The majority of the new signings have hit the ground running and there is a visible bounce in the step of everyone associated at Hearts.

New investor Tony Bloom's comments about challenging for the title maybe caught some people off guard, but the Brighton owner has a track record of success both in business and sport, so when he speaks we should listen.

Derek McInnes has also introduced an attacking and more robust style of play that is exciting for supporters to watch. In the six games played so far his team have scored 21 goals and conceded just three.

But the shots on goal tally - over 100 - is quite astonishing and provides evidence that the new players and the style is working.

This weekend is likely to be the toughest test so far for Hearts.

St Mirren tend to give the Tynecastle side a difficult time in Paisley, as was the case last season with Hearts suffering a league defeat and penalty shootout win in the Scottish Cup.

But there is a steeliness in this Hearts team that has been missing for some years. And roared on again by a huge travelling support, they will travel with a positive outlook of reaching the last eight of the League Cup.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has hailed the impact of set-play coach Ross Grant.

Grant joined in June from Dundee United, having previously worked under former Hearts and Scotland coach Austin MacPhee.

McInnes' side continued their flawless start to the season on Saturday at Tannadice with a 3-2 win where all three goals stemmed from dead-ball scenarios.

And McInnes says Grant's influence has been important as Hearts seek minor gains.

"Set-plays have always been a huge part for any team," he said. "I've seen the gains that can be made and as a manager, you have to take advantage. There's a lot of clubs so finely balanced and sometimes set-plays can be the difference.

"We've obviously brought in Ross to aid us with that and it's his job to look forensically at the opposition and where we can get gains.

"It's something we've always done as a staff, but we've got that added time and added focus on it from Ross. He's done brilliant and long may it continue.

"It's about identifying areas where we can get as much joy as possible. Underneath it all, it's about good deliveries, good timing and aggressive players wanting to get on the end of it.

"I'm glad we've got Ross. He's been huge value to us and it's good that he's getting recognition for his work because his work is good."

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has been talking to the media before his side's League Cup tie at St Mirren on Saturday.

Here are the best bits from his news conference:

• He wasn't "jumping through hoops" about playing St Mirren when the draw was made, but says you have to beat good teams to win silverware and made it clear that is one of the main goals for this season.

• McInnes adds: "There's not one player should have signed for Hearts without having that aspiration to win a trophy here."

• He insists Hearts think they are "good enough to go the full way" in cup competitions and there's nothing wrong in saying so.

• On Hearts' fast start to the season, McInnes says new investment, a new manager, a new way of working and the League Cup group stages mean you can build confidence quickly.

• He also points out there were already good players at Hearts and says the club have not done anything special yet. They need to "set about the task quietly, don't bump our gums, work hard and see where it takes us".

• McInnes spoke about the importance of dead-ball situations, which played a crucial role in the win at Dundee United. Set-piece coach Ross Grant has brought "huge value" since joining in June. Grant "looks forensically" at opposition and brings an additional focus - "it's about identifying areas where we think we can get as much joy as possible".

• Adam Forrester returning to Hearts shows the "beauty of the cooperation loan" with St Johnstone, according to McInnes. Hearts "felt it was a good move to maintain his minutes", but had to act after Christian Borchgrevink's injury.

• McInnes played down the prospect of signing another right-back, stressing there isn't unlimited money available. He expects Borchgrevink to be back quicker than first expected and pointed out Forrester played regularly last season.

• Team news: Calem Nieuwenhof and Beni Baningime both played a bounce game on Tuesday and will be available. Craig Gordon, Jamie McCart and Finlay Pollock are still out, while Kenneth Vargas has a slight hip issue.

Hearts investor Tony Bloom was not involved in recruiting head coach Derek McInnes but considers the move "a really good appointment". (Record), external

Bloom believes McInnes can help Hearts get the best out of the Brighton owner's Jamestown Analytics firm. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

There's a lot to be admired at the fact Hearts are at the dizzying heights at the top of the Scottish football after two league games, despite not playing 'good football' consistently in either match.

Let's be honest, style of play is only questioned if a team isn't winning. Look at last Sunday's last-minute winner from Stuart Findlay at Tannadice and the euphoria it brought to the 2,500-plus travelling Jambos.

How many of them cared that all our three goals were scored from a set-piece rather than a 51-pass move? The answer is nobody.

That's one of the reasons I'm pleased Derek McInnes is our head coach - he will turn us back into a side that's willing to roll the sleeves up and scrap for results.

I got ribbed last week by Hibs-supporting mates who think it's fantasy stuff for Hearts to be even on the coat-tails of Celtic and Rangers this season, but they'll both be lucky to finish within single digit points of us as we cruise to a domestic treble in Tony Bloom's debut year.

Of course that's said with a bit of jest, but I'm very heartened by the start we've made to the McInnes era, winning all six games so far.

It's not escaped me we have still to play the Old Firm and Hibs and then we can really evaluate our early progress.

The only concerns right now are regarding the bloated squad yet a lack of options at the right side of defence. It was inevitable Christian Borchgrevink, who had previously been out of action for over 14 months with a knee injury, would end up on the treatment table.

The likes of Kenneth Vargas, Musa Drammeh and Sander Kartum look set to depart in the next couple of weeks, but despite what some Hearts supporters are saying after the Dundee United game, I don't expect any movement in the goalkeeping department.

Zander Clark had a performance he'd like fans to gloss over but I'm not sure we need to consign him to working in the pie stand at Tynecastle just yet.

Clark can bounce back but I wouldn't be against handing Ryan Fulton a start against St Mirren in the League Cup game on Saturday in Paisley. It's healthy to have competition for places and Fulton hasn't let the side down in his five appearances since joining last year.

Heart of Midlothian have decided to recall right-back Adam Forrester just five days after the 20-year-old joined St Johnstone on loan. (The Courier - subscription required), external

With right-back Christian Borchgrevink ruled out for six to eight weeks, Hearts plan to play Adam Forrester in a bounce game on Tuesday before deciding whether to recall him from his co-operation loan to St Johnstone. (Jamie Borthwick on X), external

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Hearts defender Stuart Findlay reckons "sheer willingness to want to win" pushed him on to score the side's dramatic late winner at Tannadice.

The centre-back headed home an equaliser before the hour mark and sealed a 3-2 victory four minutes into stoppage time when he again converted following a corner.

The Jambos now sit at the summit of the Premiership table after two games, level on points with Celtic.

Centre-back Findlay, who has an impressive four goals in his last five games for Derek McInnes' side, said: "That was a special day for me.

"Dundee United made it really difficult for us in the second half, by sitting in deep. We knew set-pieces were going to be important. I got the second one at a really good time. It gave us a little bit of confidence.

"And obviously, to get the goal in the last minute, it's what dreams are made of to get that goal and make it 3-2. It's one of the best feelings I've had for a long, long time."

The former Kilmarnock defender knows his Tynecastle boss McInnes well from their time in Ayrshire, and is now full of praise for his new fans from Gorgie.

"The first one was probably one of the best technical headers that I've scored, to be able to direct it in," he added.

"The last one, I think it's just about that sheer willingness to want to win the game, to be able to get in front. As soon as I had the flick, I had a really good feeling where it was going to go.

"You can see what it means to the players, what it means to the management, everybody at the end, it was brilliant.

"You look at how the crowd have turned out, it's absolutely sensational. You hear them the full game. It's unbelievable backing. To take that many people after a game on Monday night, to do it so soon after, it was really special."

We asked for your views on Hearts 3-2 win over Dundee United.

Here's what you said:

Murray: Exciting time to be a Hearts fan. Still lots of areas we can improve upon and lots of new signings still to play and to be fully bedded into the team but Derek McInnes has the team looking organised and hard working, as you'd hope and expect.

Neil: Sorry but Zander Clark isn't good enough for Hearts. He gave away two goals last season against Dundee and was dropped for Gordon. The difference this time is we have a manager who knows what he's doing. We need a keeper now not wasting time waiting for Craig getting fit.

Bryan: Amazed at the negativity from some Hearts fans! That's 10 wins in a row going back into last season. We've beaten the New Firm back to back - both of whom were comfortably above us last year and in Europe this year! We're top of the league! Enjoy it!

John: If Hearts plan to achieve what Tony Bloom and the fans desire they will need a top-class goalkeeper. They can't keep shipping easy goals.

Fergus: Cautiously optimistic. McInnes needs to sort out the right back position before the window closes, Alan Forrest was badly exposed against United and against better teams, we'd have been punished more! New signings are bedding in well, Braga looks a find! Onwards and upwards.

Ken: Obviously not happy about the lost goals, but this team looks as though it's got a different mentality from those of the past few seasons. Because of that alone, we can be optimistic.

Liam: A huge three points. Dundee United will be right up there this season, they look a proper side. Hearts have totally changed the narrative around us. We used to be a soft touch, roll over and have our bellies rubbed. McInnes has brought the heart back to Hearts. Win your battles, run yourself into the ground, you'll get your rewards. Superb. Gorgie rules.