Hearts are back on duty at Falkirk in the William Hill Premiership on Saturday (kick-off 20.00) and, once again, under the full glare of the Sky Sports cameras and a nationwide audience.
The game follows the 2-1 victory at Parkhead on Sunday over Celtic, a result that Derek McInnes felt was important as it put a win in the column after a run of three draws and a defeat.
He told a press conference that his men had recorded a number of wins at the start of their campaign and McInnes (pictured in training) admitted: “You get used to it and you become obsessed with winning then, which is not a bd thing but all of a sudden, it is not there.
“You have to dig deep and get the result. I think the whole club needed the win on Sunday, the support, the players. It is only three points and there is another challenge on Saturday, but our performance was what I had hoped for and we got the job done.”
The Men in Maroon top the table with 35 points from 16 starts having won ten games, drawn five and lost one. They have scored 32 goals and let in 13 giving them a goal difference of 19.
Falkirk are seventh in the table with 21 points from 16 fixtures. They have scored 19 goals and conceded 24 giving them a goal difference of minus five, and McInnes feels John McGlynn’s men have been a welcome addition to the top flight.
Earlier this term, Hearts beat Falkirk 3-0 at Tynecastle thanks to first-half goals from Kyziridis and Shankland and a strike early in the second half from Halkett.
With Celtic breathing down Hearts’ necks – three points adrift with a game in hand – the Gorgie combine can’t afford to slip-up at Brockville.
Yes, Hearts have a better goal difference. Celtic have scored 25 goals and let in 11 in 15 starts for a goal difference of plus 14, but, looking further ahead, the Jambos host Rangers on Sunday, December 21 (13.30) and travel across the city to square-up to Hibs on Saturday, December 27 (12.30), two more tough challenges.
