Heart of Midlothian

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "It was a hard-fought victory. I think it was an open and entertaining game with lots of chances.

"I'm delighted for Elton Kabangu to get two goals after his disappointment last week. He's such a great personality to have at the training ground every day. I thought he was fantastic again.

"Lawrence Shankland plays such an important role in the team, he continues to be important for us.

"Craig Gordon pulls off a match winning save at 1-1 for us. I thought it was a goal but we see it every day in training. We're not surprised he pulls off that save.

"Last week against Rangers I thought Beni Baningime was excellent too. There's more of an importance to do the ugly side and he puts a right shift in.

"We're in good form. This wasn't easy, we had to adapt, but we got the job done."

Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts have lost just one match in 2025 and are charging towards a top-six finish.

Having spent the majority of the season in the table's lurches, a top half, or potentially even European finish, would be considered a massive achievement.

Critchley seems to have found the formula for success.

The terrific trio of Kabangu, Shankland and James Wilson terrorised Saints' backline. Kabangu's brace makes him the team's top scorer, despite only arriving in the January window, but he also seems to have revitalised Shankland.

The Scotland international assisted both of the Belgian's goals and appears to be enjoying his deeper role.

Hearts now have six matches until the league's split and, with some favourable home ties in there, will fancy their chances of European football next season.

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St Johnstone have lost Benji Kimpioka (illness) and Victor Griffith (ankle) this week. They remain without long-term absentees Uche Ikpeazu (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) while Cammy MacPherson has joined Tampa Bay Rowdies on loan.

Hearts hope to have Cammy Devlin back after concussion but Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley (both hamstring), Frankie Kent (quad) and Yan Dhanda (hip) are still out.

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Neil Critchley believes Hearts' next three games will be "pivotal" to the rest of their season, as they prepare to for three games in the space of the week.

St Johnstone is up first on Sunday, before welcoming St Mirren to Tynecastle midweek, finishing with an Edinburgh derby next Sunday.

"We have seven games until the split and we want to be looking up and competing at the top end of the league come the end of the season, so this next group of games is really pivotal to that," Critchley said.

"We've got nine points to play for in a short period, a short space of time, so the league can look completely different in seven to ten days' time.

"We've got three games next week as well, we've got a midweek game, so we'll have to manage the squad through the week and that's the message to all the players."

Hearts are already dealing with an injury crisis at the back, with Frankie Kent, Craig Halkett, and Stephen Kingsley ruled out for the foreseeable.

"You have to train right, you have to be prepared, ready to take the opportunity and I won't be afraid to change the team, win, lose or draw, if I think it's the right thing to do to play the opponent that we're about to face."

During Critchley's tricky opening spell in charge of Hearts, two of his five wins in his first 15 games came against St Johnstone.

"Both games were really close, obviously they went in our favour, but they've caused us problems in both games," he said. "If you take out last week's result [Saints' defeat at Kilmarnock], prior to that they were in really good form.

"They've had some changes in January with personnel, system change, so away from home we're expecting a really close, tough game."

On the sixth episde of Romanov: Czar of Hearts...

Vlad rewards his cup winning team with a preseason to remember.

Joining them are two new coaches who arrive from eastern Europe plus his interference spreads beyond the pitch and into the medical department.

All of which leads to the one of the most unbelievable press conferences football has ever witnessed.

Episode six of Romanov: Czar of Hearts is available now on BBC Sounds - listen and subscribe here.

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Jorge Grant says Hearts supporters "haven't seen the best of him yet" as the midfielders admits he's had an "up and down" career in maroon to date.

The English midfielder joined from Peterborough in the summer of 2022 and made his 100th appearance for the club in the recent Scottish Cup win away to St Mirren.

However, the 31-year-old has struggled to cement a starting spot and has faced intense criticism from supporters after a couple of costly red cards during his time at Tynecastle.

"I think there's been a lot of good moments, but there's also been some bad ones, especially for me personally," he said, previewing Hearts' weekend game at St Johnstone.

"I feel like the fans probably haven't seen the total best of me yet because I've been so in and out of the team. Partly down to myself, and partly down to obviously not getting game time as well. I just want to finish the season as strong as I can and help the team as well as I can."

Grant has started seven of Hearts' last nine matches, after going almost three months without a start following his red card at Aberdeen in early October. That was his second dismissal after receiving one in the Europa League play-off defeat by Zurich in 2022.

The midfielder admitted the the backlash from supporters following both incidents tested his mentality.

"It's the first time I've had to deal with it because I've never been sent off before," he added. "I think I played 250-something games before I came up here and I'd never been sent off.

"For me, that was something different that I'd never had that feeling before. Sitting in the changing room on your own isn't a nice feeling at all.

"It's something I've had to deal with, probably away from football a bit more. I feel like I'm a strong character, so I always seem to try and come back."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

Throughout Vladimir Romanov's tenure at Hearts, a wide array of players passed through the club and a revolving door of managers threw up some interesting names.

However, a peek behind the scenes highlights two of the more peculiar characters from that time.

Rima, employed by Romanov in the club's medical department was joined by a fellow physio who is simply identified as 'pyjama man'. To some though, Rima also had a nickname.

"You mean the witch?" quips Roman Bednar on the newest episode of Romanov: Czar of Hearts.

"The way she worked, it looked like witchcraft to us, I remember that she'd take some stick or pen and tap on your back and then she said, 'he can play 50 minutes. He can play 70 minutes', and I don't think we actually laughed because we didn't know what was happening.

"We were really surprised and shocked at what is she doing with us."

Some players were sceptical, to say the least, with Edgaras Jankauskas determined to catch her out: "Once I got injured in the game and when I came to Riccarton to see her... everybody knew that she was guessing.

"So when I saw Rima, I told her 'yesterday I got injured, so tell me on which hamstring', and she just ran away from me."

Her colleague pyjama man wasn't exactly the credible one of the pair either. He earned the nickname due to his habit of roaming the corridors of the Tynecastle medical department in attire resembling nightwear.

Michael Stewart tells the podcast: "You had pyjama man and you're sticking your fingers into what seemed like a sort of ghetto blaster, and this is giving you like readouts of whether you're able to train and how you're feeling. Just absolute madness."

Both of them held a fair bit of sway with Vlad, who also self-diagnosed players.

Every now and then, a player would be mysteriously struck down, often on matchdays. Fans were baffled as to why their favourite player was suddenly missing from the team, with this particular illness known as the Vlad flu.

Romanov: Czar of Heart is available now on BBC Sounds, with episode six out tomorrow and further episodes released weekly on Saturdays.

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• St Johnstone have lost each of their last eight league meetings with Heart of Midlothian since a 2-1 win in February 2022.

• Hearts have won each of their last four away league games at St Johnstone, this after winning none of their previous 15 visits in the top-flight prior (D7 L8).

• After their 2-1 win over Motherwell, St Johnstone could win back-to-back home league games for the first time since December 2023.

• Heart of Midlothian haven't conceded in any of their last three away league outings; not since March 2007 have Hearts had a longer run of away clean sheets in the top-flight (five).

• St Johnstone have had more high turnovers against them (226) than any other side in the Scottish Premiership this season, while only Celtic (214) and Rangers (200) have forced more high turnovers in the division this campaign than Hearts (180).

Hearts intend to hold fresh talks with captain Lawrence Shankland to determine whether the 29-year-old Scotland striker could still be persuaded to stay at Tynecastle Park beyond the end of his contract this summer. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Hearts and Dundee will kick-off the Scottish Cup quarter-final weekend when the Dark Blues travel to Tynecastle on Friday, 7 March.

The all-Premiership tie will kick-off at 19:45 GMT, and be televised live on Premier Sports.

The Jambos fired six past Tony Docherty's side earlier this month in a league meeting.

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Michael Steinwender is still settling into life in Gorgie, but, the defender is already sure Hearts will "stick together" after their first defeat in nine games.

The 24-year-old signed from Swedish side IFK Varnamo on a three-and-a-half-year deal last month and made his home debut in Sunday's loss to Rangers.

Steinwender scored a header from a James Penrice corner to cancel out a first half own goal by team-mate Jamie McCart, but Vaclav Cerny restored Rangers' lead before McCart, almost unbelievably, scored a second own goal to give Philippe Clement's side a 3-1 win.

Though it was it first taste of defeat in maroon, the Austrian is enjoying life at Hearts.

"It's brilliant, everybody sticks together, everybody's been helping me since I came here, the people, the team, everybody's nice, everybody's helping each other," he said.

"I think you could see in some parts that we can really play good football and we also create a lot of chances.

"I'm so happy to be here and cannot wait to move forward - I'm feeling good.

"Of course, when you don't play a competitive game for two months, it's a long time, but I'm getting there, and I will do everything to get there as fast as possible."

Steinwender was delighted to score in front of his visiting parents but disappointed with the defeat in a game where Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland had a superb afternoon and the home side missed several chances.

On his goal he said: "Of course it's a nice feeling. My dad had his birthday on Saturday, so that was his birthday present.

"It felt good for me and for my family, but I'm still not happy with the result and the team, of course, were not happy after this game.

"There is a lot of work to do and we will analyse the game and we will look it through and then we will improve."

The Sportscene panel discuss Hearts' attacking threat as the hosts dominated despite losing 3-1 to Rangers at Tynecastle.

We asked for you Hearts fans for your views after the 3-1 home loss to Rangers. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Chris: Our composure failed us, at the back and the front. A really impressive line-up and on another day we win that game comfortably - just another hard-luck story in a season of hard-knocks. Our backline needs a leader, they barely talk to each other, but if you don't take your chances then this is what happens. Another 'what could have been'.

Douglas: Can't believe the scoreline. Totally dominated. Rangers' goalkeeper [Jack Butland] won it, though Hearts finishing should have been more composed. The better team lost.

Derek: I don't know how we lost. Elton Kabangu should have had a hat-trick in the first half, Lawrence Shankland looked good for a goal... even with the own goals, Hearts should have been out of sight. We won't play as well as that again all season, and we'll play worse and win, but that was three points that have passed us by.

Alan: I thought our goal-scoring issues had been put behind us, but they returned to haunt us. Numerous chances went begging and instability in defence completed a wasted opportunity.

Jim: The important acts in football happen in the boxes at both ends of the pitch. At one end, you have a keeper in inspired form who prevented a routing of Rangers. At the other, an equally-talented keeper whose defenders caused two jammy goals. If Hearts play this well and create as many chances the future is very bright.

Alexander: The best we've played against Rangers in a very long time. I'm really scratching my head as to how we have not got at least a draw from that.

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• Rangers have scored in 23 of their 26 games, only Celtic (24) have scored goals in more matches in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts have scored in their last three games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of five games from 22 December 2024 to 5 January 2025.

• Rangers have scored in each of their last 18 games in the Premiership, scoring 42 goals in that run, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 28 games from 16 September 2023 to 14 April 2024.

• Hearts have scored in each of their last three games in the Premiership, scoring 10 goals in that run.

• Rangers have won their last five games in the Premiership, their last longer winning streak was from 2 January 2024 to 28 February 2024, a run of nine games.

• James Penrice has assisted four goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hearts player has more.

• Vaclav Cerny has scored 10 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Rangers player.

Watch highlights from Tynecastle as Rangers beat Hearts 3-1 in the Scottish Premiership. (UK users only).

Kazakhstan midfielder Islam Chesnokov is holding out for a move to Hearts despite Tobol accepting an offer for the 25-year-old from Azerbaijani club Neftci and he hopes the Edinburgh outfit will renew their interest this summer after failing with a bid in January. (Herald - subscription), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

Two Jamie McCart own goals helped Rangers escape Tynecastle with a victory over Hearts as they narrowed the gap on Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic to 13 points and earned breathing space for under-pressure manager Philippe Clement.

The hosts had gone into the game unbeaten in eight outings and seeking a fifth win on the bounce - and can count themselves unfortunate not to at least secure a point that would have taken them into the top six.

McCart's first own goal had been cancelled out by Michael Steinwender, but Vaclav Cerny restored the lead and the home centre-half's second deflection ensured defeat, despite Hearts dominating possession and chances.

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley thought "we were the better team" despite their home defeat by Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

"I thought we played very well," he told BBC Scotland. "We've had more of the ball, more passes, more shots, more clear chances, yet we've lost the game 3-1.

"The story of the game is they've been clinical and we haven't. If we take our chances, big chances, then I think the game would've been different.

"Tactically, I thought we were good and we created those moments and we created big moments to score. We had a little bit of misfortune with a couple of the goals."

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland denied home striker Elton Kabangu with a series of saves.

"He's disappointed," Critchley said. "I don't want him to be disappointed because he's the one that's getting the chances.

"He's a real threat. Butland's made a fantastic save low down."

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Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley, his players and the home fans will be left wondering how they did not take their chance to move up to fifth place before city rivals Hibs faced St Mirren in Sunday's afternoon kick-off.

It looked like they would badly miss the industrious Cammy Devlin, absent in midfield through concussion, as Rangers threatened early down the wings.

However, once Hearts settled, the visitors looked there for the taking, appearing vulnerable in defence and shot of confidence following last week's cup exit.

On-loan Union St Gilloise striker Elton Kabangu should have had a first-half hat-trick to add to his five goals in his previous five games.

Hearts have scored more set-piece goals than any side in Premiership this season and it was no surprise that Steinwender rose above Souttar to head the equaliser after the latest in a series of badly defended corners.

However, while two goals on the break halted Hearts' momentum, Critchley will have seen plenty of positives to take into next weekend's trip to face bottom side St Johnstone as they emphasised again their potential to finish in the top six.