Don't blame Murrayfield for poor Hearts results, says Craig Levein

The redeveloped Tynecastle Park is due to open a week on Sunday when Hearts host Partick Thistle, but they will return to their spiritual home following a run of three successive defeats.

Two of those came at Murrayfield against Rangers and, on Sunday, Kilmarnock. The Scottish Rugby Union base has hosted four Hearts league matches in total this season whilst Tynecastle’s main stand is rebuilt.

The Edinburgh club have won only one of those four, against St Johnstone last month. The other was a 0-0 draw against Aberdeen.

Whilst frustrated by three consecutive losses in the last three fixtures, Levein stressed neither results nor performances have anything to do with Hearts playing at Murrayfield.

“I’m not blaming Murrayfield for anything,” he told the Evening News. “There is a definite disadvantage to not playing home matches, that’s for sure. Whether it’s at Murrayfield or playing away from home, we’ve never had that situation where you feel: ‘Good, we’ve got a home match coming up this week.’

“Murrayfield has got nothing to do with it. Murrayfield has been excellent. I’m not going to blame anything at all on the pitch or anything else there. In fact, the pitch is conducive to us playing really good football. It wasn’t the pitch to blame for our first-half performance on Sunday against Kilmarnock, that’s for sure.”