Craig Brown and the team will have prepared as normal despite the uncertainty but we will have our work cut out to claim the points from a side so clearly in good form.
Hearts are deservedly third after a fine run of victories propelled them up from the middle of the table. In their good run they did have a 3-0 home tonking by Kilmarnock though so even now they are far from infallible. We also triumphed 2-0 at Tynecastle not that long ago so our confidence should not have fallen apart just yet.
Good grief! That was our pitch last time Hearts were at Fir Park
We do need to raise our game again though as a little edge has vanished from our play in the last few weeks. We have still been picking up points but less quickly than previously and when Humphrey and Murphy are not on top form, we are lacking in creativity. Blackman is obviously firing on all cylinders but Sutton is off the boil and while there seems to be a good player in Gow somewhere, it is hard to figure out just how we should utilise his talents.
Keith Lasley being missing recently has hurt us but having been on the verge of a comeback for some time there is little to indicate that would change now. A return would surely see him start with Jennings in the centre of the park which would leave Hateley to fight it out with Saunders to play right back.
Hearts have good players and have currently found a formation and selection which gives them the winning touch. We know as well as anyone else though that momentum can be lost very easily and even if we don’t manage to defeat them on this occasion we can be reasonably confident in a share of the spoils thanks to a 1-1 draw.