Defender will have a huge part to play between now and May

Any football fan can fully understand why Hearts supporters find the sight of Harry Milne in full flow so satisfying. Power, pace and end product make the Aberdonian defender quite magnificent viewing rampaging down the left flank. Although a perfectly capable midfielder, even out on the right flank, there is no debating where Milne serves his team best. Saturday’s opening goal at Tannadice illustrates the point perfectly.

Milne exchanged passes with his Hearts team-mate Claudio Braga and outpaced United’s Ryan Strain as he rampaged forward. His long stride took him clear and his low cross was amply tucked into the net by striker Landry Kabore. Milne was travelling at such speed that he clattered into the advertising boards beyond the byline, but he didn’t seem to care. Helping Hearts take a 1-0 lead on 11 minutes dulled any pain.

He got forward numerous times during the match and stung the palms of United’s debutant goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the second half. Milne’s defensive qualities are ample at left-back but he properly comes into his own when charging forward. It is a sight often demonstrated this season. A year ago, his final appearance for Partick Thistle was in a 2-2 Scottish Championship draw at home with Morton. Now he is scaling the heights as a key player at Premiership leaders Hearts.

“I had to bide my time at the end of last season but the more this season has progressed, I feel like I’ve established myself as a good member of the squad,” said Milne, speaking exclusively to the Edinburgh News. “I’m not pinching myself, because I think the squad that we’ve got is brilliant and we deserve to be where we are.

“I thought we got off to a great start on Saturday with the goal and I thought we actually started the game well with a good amount of intensity. Obviously, the manager was emphasising the fact that it was going to be difficult conditions and we needed the right attitude to make sure that we applied ourselves in the right way. To get the early goal obviously was great.

”Left-back is where I’m most natural but I’m happy to slot in wherever the manager needs me, wherever the team needs me and wherever the manager feels that would suit me best for the game or suit the team best. I try to apply myself in whatever position I’m playing. Being back at left-back was obviously great on Saturday. We felt like we could get a bit of joy down that side with a bit of link-up play, being aggressive with our press, and aggressive with the way that we wanted to attack down that side. That’s where the first goal comes from.”

United were reduced to 10 men shortly afterwards as Amar Fatah was dismissed for a late challenge on Hearts midfielder Marc Leonard. Panutche Camara’s red card for a head-butting offence on Leonard brought the hosts down to nine players. The visitors took advantage to complete a 3-0 win with an Alexandros Kyziridis penalty and another striker by Kabore.

“Obviously, it helps when they go down to ten men and once you get the penalty, it’s quite comfortable from that perspective after that. It was a great three points for us. Saturday night, an eight o’clock kick-off, with the pitch not being as good as it could be, it was a difficult place to go. We’ll take the three points all day.”

The result, combined with Rangers drawing 0-0 at Hibs the following day, leaves Hearts six points clear at the top of the Premiership. They don’t look under pressure heading to St Mirren this evening. There is a steely determination about the Tynecastle squad not to become distracted as the title race intensifies.

“Yes, we just take each game as it comes. That old saying that everyone says when they’re top of the league, but it is true,” said Milne. “You can only play what’s in front of you and there’s no point in thinking too far ahead. It’s another big game on Tuesday and another different test. Yes, different stuff to prepare for, and the games come thick and fast. A couple of big games and, yes, things can change differently. But we want to just keep going the way we’re going and see where we end up.

“I don’t think we really think about being top, to be honest. Nobody’s really thinking too far ahead. You’re just enjoying winning games and enjoying that feeling that that brings. Nobody likes to go home after a defeat, it’s a depressing time. I think everyone is just riding the wave of winning games and just being happy in that. It obviously creates a nice atmosphere.”

Milne is one of several Hearts players to start and finish almost every game so far. Craig Halkett, Stuart Findlay and Alexandros Kyziridis are also mainstays of the team. Even if there is a tough of fatigue heading to St Mirren, don’t expect anyone to ask for a rest. “No, definitely not,” smiled Milne. “The club looks after you well. We’ve got the facilities and everyone’s got the right head on to recover in the right way and prepare for the next game well.

“We do have a couple of injuries, but that just comes from being unlucky. Injuries are just part and parcel of the game. Everyone prepares themselves in the right way. So, me included, I want to be available for every game that I can and play if I’m called upon.”