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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Tuesday night's Edinburgh derby against Hibs at Tynecastle.
Here are the main points:
- After Rangers cut the gap on league leaders Hearts to three points, McInnes insists his players are not feeling the pressure: "We've been top of the league for four months so no extra nerves."
- On the midweek defeat to St Mirren he admits "we had a bad night" but "can't dwell on a disappointing result".
- The Hearts boss was frustrated by Craig Halkett's sending off, their third in five games, which "made the whole evening far more challenging than it needed to be" but has "no complaints about any of the red cards".
- McInnes doesn't believe "there's a discipline problem" among his squad but stresses "we need to be fully focused at all times".
- Hearts were "hands down second best" in the previous meeting with Hibs, the 3-2 defeat at Easter Road in December, but McInnes takes confidence that “we still nearly got something from the game” after being three down.
- On Rogers Mato and Islam Chesknokov, McInnes understands "the clamour for these players to be involved", but says "they're not ready [to start], we're trying hard to get them ready".
- The Hearts boss confirms discussions are taking place with Beni Baningime's agent over a new deal and the midfielder "has a big part to play" at the club.
- On James Wilson's move to Tottenham, McInnes says "we had a good chat about him not wanting to go out on loan" before the interest from down south and suggests "he was maybe a step closer to playing because of Lawrence Shankland's injury".
- But McInnes adds: "There's no falling out, I'm disappointed he's taken up the option but I hope it goes really well."
- Team news: Halkett is suspended but Christian Borchgrevink is back training and could be available.
