Craig Halkett's injury problem explained by Hearts

The centre-back is nursing an issue in the hip/groin area and watched the 2-0 loss from the stand at Fir Park. He had previously started every game for the Edinburgh club this season and his influence at the back was missed.

Hearts coaches and medical staff will monitor Halkett throughout this week before making a decision on his availability for the St Mirren match. Manager Robbie Neilson said initial signs are promising.

“He has a wee hip problem but we are hoping he’ll be back for this week. He should be all right, that’s what the medical staff are saying,” Neilson told the Evening News.

Taylor Moore, the on-loan Bristol City defender, is suspended this weekend as a result of his red card against Motherwell. He was sent off by referee Willie Collumn for a second caution on 64 minutes.

If passed fit, Halkett would be expected to slot back into Hearts’ three-man defence and fill the void left by Moore.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon lamented Saturday’s defeat and urged his team-mates to learn from the experience. “We were up against a Motherwell team that put us under pressure. We weren’t able to handle that and play the way we wanted to,” he said.

“We tried to compete and they pressed us high up the pitch. We didn’t play through it as well as we have done in previous weeks. We need to learn from it because that won’t be the last time we go away from home and face a challenge like that.”

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