Craig Halkett set to fill Hearts' defensive void

The defender is likely to be a key player against former club Livingston

Craig Halkett's return after almost a year out injured comes at a useful juncture for Hearts with Kye Rowles now out of the country. The Australian is representing his country at the Asian Cup in Qatar and may not be back in Edinburgh until mid-Ferbruary, depending on the Socceroos' progress. Having Halkett's experience to call upon again is most welcome for Riccarton coaching staff.

The central defender has managed four appearances since recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament on Christmas Eve 2022. He admits himself he is still striving to get back to peak sharpness, however he will be needed over the coming weeks. Indeed, he may find himself starting a second successive match for the first time in more than 12 months when Hearts visit Livingston on Tuesday.

Rowles drops out of the defence and, if head coach Steven Naismith selects three centre-backs, it stands to reason that Frankie Kent, Halkett and Stephen Kingsley would be the most likely trio. "It has been a long year and myself, the manager and the sports scientists all know it’s going to take a few games to get back up to 100 per cent. Right now, I'm feeling as good as I can be," said Halkett.

He played just over an hour of Saturday's 2-2 draw with Ross County as Hearts recovered from 2-0 down. A run of seven wins in the last 11 fixtures pushed the Edinburgh club to third in the Premiership and they want another three points at Livingston to finish positively before the winter break.

"It’s really important. We were disappointed not to beat Ross County but the draw has kept the momentum going," said Halkett. "We want to finish this tough run of games on a high, so it’s a crucial one. December is a really tough month for everyone. The team who puts a really good run together always seems to come out on top, if you can pick up a lot of wins. We have done brilliantly to get into third and then just to finish off this block there would be good."

On a personal level, the 28-year-old will use the two-and-a-half-week break wisely. "It was always important for me to come back in and play a couple of games before the break," he said. "I didn’t want to go into the break not having featured, so it was good to get some minutes under my belt. Like I said, it was always going to take time after such a long time out to get up to 100 per cent. We have another game on Tuesday and then I can work hard during the break to come back."

Livingston's astroturf surface does not hold any concerns despite Halkett's knee issues this year. "Not really, to be honest. I played on that pitch for three and a half years so I’m pretty used to it," he stated. "It’s not something I have in the back of my head. When we go to Kilmarnock, we practice on astro a couple of days before just to get used to bounces and the way the ball goes. So it’s not something I am thinking about, to be honest."

He is hoping his former club can fight their way out of the Premiership's automatic relegation spot between now and next May. Halkett is surprised by their current predicament at the bottom of the table. "I am, to be honest. The work Davie [Martindale] has done there since I was there and since I have left has been brilliant. He says it himself, at the start of every season everyone tips them to go down and they always defy the odds.

"I think, for a club like Livingston, they have been in the top league for five or six years now and it was a great achievement every single year they did it. So to see where they are is a bit of a surprise but I still think they’ll have enough to get out of it.

"It’s not just Davie, it’s everyone in the building, the kitman, the physios, the staff in the kitchen, they’re all so close knit. They all pull in the same direction. We’ve spoken about the break for us and the break is probably coming at a good time for them as well. They can go away, rest, recover and reset before they come back and I’m sure they’ll do everything they can to stay up."

Hearts expect a fiercely-competitive fixture in West Lothian. "Every team knows how tough it is when you go there," said Halkett. "It doesn’t matter the run they have been on or even the run we have been on, it’s the last game before the break. Everyone will be going into it trying to pick up the win so they end the first half of the season on a high. The momentum we have got and the run we’ve been on has been important for everyone in the building.

"I think you see we’ve had a few injuries but we are getting people back and there’s competition for places now. That helps. It’s always tough down there. From their point of view, it’s about getting that goal or taking a lead in a game to kick that on. We’ll go there and try and make sure that doesn’t happen, but it’s going to be tough."

Livingston will be Hearts' eighth opponent since the start of December and Halkett is aware that a recuperation period will be necessary during the break. "We’ll have a few days off. Everyone in the squad will, whether they have been playing or not, we’ll all have a complete rest. There will be a couple of days of off-season programme to get us back to speed before we come in. And then I’m sure the first 10 days or so will be like a mini pre-season to get us back ready. The rest will be important."