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While Hearts are struggling squad wise, we have at least three players returning. Sengewald, Partridge and Pearson are all available again although the latter pair will be missing again on Saturday. Of course, after Sunday, Terry Butcher will have a tough decision to make over whether to make big changes to the side or stick with the youngsters who did so well at Celtic Park.
Daniel Sengewald was chosen to mark Mixu Paatalinen in our recent visit to Easter Road and it is likely he will be given the same task against Mark de Vries on Wednesday. de Vries scored a crucial goal when the teams met at Tynecastle earlier in the season but since then he has found the net hard to come by. If we can shut down Jean Louis Valois, his likely supplier, we will have achieved a major step on the road to victory.
Sengewald’s return will probably free Dirk Lehmann to take his place up front but this could mean one of Faddy or Ferguson dropping out. One possibility would be McFadden playing behind the front pair or out wide but this would cause further complications in the midfield. Leitch and Pearson appear to be certain starters and Derek Adams will be hard done by if he is not included.
However, we still need to find space in the starting eleven for two wing-backs. They are essential in the operation, which basically makes it almost impossible to play Dirk, Faddy, Fergie, Adams, Leitch and Pearson. Which one of them should sit out? A tricky decision and one that will cause Butcher a couple of sleepless nights.
We have being playing ‘must win’ games for months now and this one is no different. Will the outcome change? We need to be optimistic – 2-1 to Motherwell.