Heart of Midlothian

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

Despite the 3-0 defeat at a Celtic side in pole position to be crowned Scottish champions, it was still a great weekend for Jambos as third place was confirmed and Lawrence Shankland won the PFA Scotland player of the year award.

It’s absolutely fair to say Shankland has performed a lot of the heavy lifting to get Hearts into the position where we have qualified for European football for the third season in a row.

His 28 goals for us in all competitions is an extraordinary achievement and with three league games left, I think he will top the 30 mark.

I really don’t understand why there is disgruntlement from Old Firm supporters clamouring for one of their players to win the award, when it’s the players themselves who have voted for Shankland to get the top prize.

Until the last month or so, he’s been netting goals almost every week and perhaps there’s a bit of recency bias clouding opinion but there’s no doubt he’s a worthy winner.

Inevitably, there’s been chat about whether he will extend his contract but as Shankland said himself, all that talk needs to be parked so he can concentrate on the Euros next month in Germany, as well as finishing our league campaign on a high.

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith will no doubt be able to offer important counsel to Shankland on blocking out transfer speculation and as a proud Scot himself, he will be eager to see him head for the opener in Munich in the best frame of mind possible.

Saturday’s match versus Dundee will by no means be a dead rubber given Tony Doherty’s side still have European football to play for, so I imagine Naismith will treat the game with the utmost respect and play a full-strength team.

It would be good to see a few of the Hearts B team players perhaps feature on the bench and get a some minutes over the next three matches but you’d imagine their opportunities may come in pre-season.

Greg Playfair can be found at @OorWeeChat, external

Hearts captain and forward Lawrence Shankland has "a duty and a responsibility to set myself up" as he approaches the final year of his contract. (Sun), external

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Lawrence Shankland says he "couldn't have dreamed" of winning PFA Scotland player of the year earlier in his career.

The Scottish Premiership top scorer picked up the prize on Sunday night, becoming the first Hearts striker to receive the award.

"I'm delighted," he told PFA Scotland, external.

"It's a trophy that not many players outside the Old Firm win. You just have to look at that roll of honours to see you're joining some real football legends.

"It's a really proud moment. Obviously to get nominated first and foremost was good recognition. It shows that you've made an impression on other teams in the league."

Shankland was named Scottish League 1 player of the year in 2018 when at Ayr United, and admitted he didn't see his incredible rise coming.

"It was five or six years ago, at the time I was delighted to pick that up," he said.

"I probably couldn't have dreamed of getting Premiership player of the year.

"My first season at Hearts was really good at I wanted to try and better that. These awards add to that. My target for goals, I've beat it."

We asked for your thoughts after Hearts fell to a 3-0 defeat away to Celtic.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Ian: Hearts had a few chances today; so what? Celtic had a lot more chances and scored three goals. I'm fed up to the back teeth of Steven Naismith coming out and trying to make things seem better than they are. Third place achieved but still a hell of a lot wrong with this team. I can see a few heavy defeats in Europe next season without buying better defenders.

Bobster: What is more concerning than an abject display against a strong Celtic team is that Hearts have failed to score yet again against top-half opposition. We might have all but secured third, but I suspect we are about to limp through the next three games. Naismith and team need to do their talking on the park rather than in the papers!

Chris: A nothing game for us, despite what Naismith will try to sell us. The season is a success. Europe is massive and I expect a much-improved Hibs and Aberdeen next season so I’ll savour this one. Lawrence Shankland will be on the verge of begging us for a new contract if he doesn’t find his spark - one goal in eight games is not the return expected from his ability.

Jamie: I thought we played well, the scoreline didn’t reflect our performance or chances. We have to stop conceding goals so early on in games; we need a good right-back for next season. We also need Cammy Devlin tied down on a long contract. Zander Clark was superb again.

Hearts boss Steven Naismith insists there were positives to take from his side's defeat to Celtic, despite the scoreline.

Were you at Celtic Park on Saturday or following the match elsewhere?

Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

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Hearts head coach Steven Naismith: "The result's disappointing, poor and frustrating, but in the performance there was loads of good stuff.

"You need to try and stop the atmosphere building here at this time of the season. Our reaction was good, we created better chances than we did when we won 2-0 here.

"But we shoot ourselves with the second goal. Small margins are the difference in the game.

"We've had a really good season, we'll learn from these mistakes. In the next few games and next season we'll hopefully push on."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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Regardless of what Rangers do on Sunday, you could make a valid case for saying Celtic are all but one win from continuing their Premiership domination.

A victory for Brendan Rodgers’ side in next Saturday’s Old Firm derby would at the very least restore a six-point lead with just six points to play for.

On the basis of their recent home form in the fixture, and with the likes of Callum McGregor and Cameron Carter-Vickers looking back to their best, Celtic fans will be confident of their team being in a commanding position next weekend.

The wait to secure third drags on for another 24 hours at least for Hearts, who are watching an impressive season peter out a bit.

Nevertheless, they gave Celtic a few scares in some promising spells but lacked a clinical edge and looked susceptible from cross balls.

Steven Naismith will want that addressed as they aim to finish the campaign strong.

Celtic are unchanged following their win at Dundee last Sunday, meaning resurgent James Forrest continues in attack.

And Brendan Rodgers is boosted by the return of Japan forward Daizen Maeda, who is among the substitutes.

Celtic XI: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, O'Riley, Hatate, Kuhn, Forrest, Kyogo.

Substitutes: Bain, Palma, Idah, Yang, Nawrocki, Iwata, Bernardo, Maeda, Ralston.

Hearts also name the same side after last weekend's goalless draw with Kilmarnock.

Right-back Nathaniel Atkinson returns from injury to make the bench.

Hearts XI: Clark, Kent, Rowles, Kingsley, Lembikisa, Devlin, Baningime, Grant, Cochrane, Vargas, Shankland.

Substitutes: Gordon, Oda, Atkinson, Forrest, McKay, Sibbick, Denholm, Fraser, Tagawa.

• Listen to match commentary from Celtic Park and follow live text updates

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda is back following a hamstring problem to give Brendan Rodgers a full squad to choose from.

Hearts welcome back Nathaniel Atkinson after injury, while Beni Baningime is available despite going off due to illness at half-time in last weekend’s draw at Kilmarnock.

Calem Nieuwenhof, Liam Boyce (both hamstring), Craig Halkett and Peter Haring (both knee) all remain sidelined.

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Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland

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Steven Naismith says Hearts travel to Celtic Park with "confidence", but is wary of the league leaders looking to continue their charge towards the title.

The Tynecastle side have beaten Celtic twice this season, but the head coach expects a different dynamic with four games to go.

"All season we've had confidence going into every game," he said. "There's no game I've gone into fearing who we're coming up against.

"I think having the results against Celtic in the past definitely helps. It builds confidence, we've gone on to have a good run of results after them.

"I think it will be slightly different because of where it sits in the season. The outcome of these games have massive impacts.

"I'm sure Celtic, being in pole position for the title, will want to come and tick this game off and get their result.

"I've been in a title race, one slip can cost you. You've got to understand the dynamic of the crowd and how that can affect you."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Steven Naismith has been speaking to the media head of his side's trip to Celtic on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Says Hearts never have fear of playing anyone and their recent wins over Celtic add "confidence" ahead of another trip to Glasgow.

• Expects Lawrence Shankland to win PFA Scotland player of the year, adding the striker has been the best performer in the country this season and it hasn't been "close".

• Focusing on Shankland having a year left on his deal, but admits he must plan for further ahead as players can always leave.

• "There is always a debate to be had" on keeping VAR, but says Scottish football must get to the point where the technology helps. It needs "a lot of work".

• Says his first few month as a manager came with "scrutiny" but he's delighted with the season as a whole.

• Adds it's been a very good campaign for various managers, naming Tony Docherty, Derek McInnes, Stephen Robinson and John McGlynn.

• Nathaniel Atkinson is fit again after missing last week's trip to Tynecastle in the only squad update. There's "no pressure" on Craig Halkett and Liam Boyce to return this season.

It's not often that lightning strikes twice, never mind three times, in a single season for non-Old Firm sides against Glasgow's big two.

However, Hearts have the chance to make it a hat-trick of victories over Celtic for the first time since October 1961, when they went on to win five in a row.

It is also that long since the Edinburgh side won consecutive league games at Celtic Park, their 2-0 win in December being their first in 24 visits. It also ended a run of 14 straight defeats there.

This is a Hearts side with a renewed confidence that they can compete with the Old Firm, even if Steven Naismith's side fell short of their own expectations in the recent Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.

Nevertheless, while Hearts' results since beating the reigning champions 2-0 at Tynecastle in early March have been a bit up and down, Celtic have gone on another seven-game unbeaten run, winning six of them.

It is a repeat of the scenario after Hearts won by the same scoreline at Celtic Park in December, so Rangers fans will no doubt be viewing this as the best chance of Brendan Rodgers' side slipping up outside of the forthcoming Old Firm derby.

Celtic have, though, done enough in recent weeks to take advantage of Rangers' own blips to re-establish a three-point lead.

While their performances have still been viewed as steady rather than scintillating, Celtic have now won six of their latest seven home league matches, scoring two or more goals in five of those victories.

They have found the net an average of three times per game since that last defeat by Hearts, with veteran winger James Forrest the latest to chip in with three in two matches.

In contrast, Hearts goal machine Lawrence Shankland, who scored in both their recent wins over Celtic, has only added one to his season's tally in his last eight outings.

Naismith's side will be looking to the Scotland striker to help avoid a third straight game without scoring as they look for the victory that will officially end Kilmarnock's hopes of catching them in third place.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Craig Halkett and Liam Boyce have returned to full training but won't play again for Hearts this season after head coach Steven Naismith decided both players should wait until the new campaign. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

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We asked you who consider Hearts' player of the year. The responses were not as one-sided as you may have expected.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Ian: Player of the year? Lawrence Shankland by a mile. Without his goals and assists Hearts would be nowhere near third place.

Jim: Frankie Kent has not let us down, nor has Cammy Devlin.

David: Shankland. End of discussion.

Jamie: Shankland's goalscoring has been excellent, but for me. it has to be Kent, he's been a rock in defence. Zander Clark has to get a mention too, but it’s Kent definitely for me.

Will: Shankland has been amazing at creating and scoring goals, but Devlin is a unsung hero and my pick. He harasses the opposition into making mistakes, creates things for Shankland and co, supports going forward and gets goals as well.

Steve: Shankland has been outstanding - both his work rate and support play, but his goals have mostly been developed by himself. Kent and Stephen Kingsley have both been top class, consistent and ultra-reliable, they better get extended contracts this summer. Too much dead wood that needs replacing.

Richard: A number of players have come into great form at the right time and swung things our way. Besides Shankland, there's Kent and Clarke. Allan Forrest has had some great brief spells, as has Kenneth Vargas, but the first three have had longer influential periods. Of those, one gets the goals so he's going to be the headline nominee, and rightly so.

Chris: Shankland is your very obvious choice as player of the year, not since John Robertson have we had a striker as clinical as him. Special mentions must go to Clark, who raised his game so many levels when Craig Gordon came back to fitness. Kingsley must be on the cusp of another international call up - he has been superb.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke discusses his striker options for Euro 2024, with Hearts' Lawrence Shankland firmly in the mix.

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• Celtic have lost their last two league games against Hearts; they last lost more in a row to Tyencastle side in October 1961 (run of five).

• Hearts' 2-0 win at Celtic Park in December was their first in 28 away league games at Celtic (D3 L24); they last won consecutive away league visits to Celtic in May 1961.

• Celtic have won six of their last seven home matches in the Scottish Premiership (D1), scoring 2+ goals in five of those six victories, including netting 13 across their last three wins – an average of 4.3 goals per game.

• Hearts have lost just two of their last 18 Scottish Premiership matches (W12 D4) and are unbeaten in their last four (W2 D2) since a 2-1 defeat away at Ross County in March.

• Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland has now scored 20+ goals in the Scottish Premiership for the second consecutive season (24 in 2022-23, 21 this season). The 28-year-old has scored at least four more goals than any other player in the competition this term.

Head coach Steven Naismith believes Hearts have exceeded expectations this season. (Football Scotland), external

Hearts have offered a new contract to Scotland Under-17 international Rocco Friel. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

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