Hearts adopt a seige mentality as Jamie McCart provides a dressing-room insight ahead of Motherwell trip

Hearts players are adopting something of a seige mentality in an attempt to cope with the club’s ongoing injury crisis. As they prepare to visit Motherwell in Sunday’s William Hill Premiership match, those fit are rallying after losing some key colleagues. Eight Hearts men are currently sidelined by injuries, four whom are long-term absentees.

Defenders Harry Milne and Christian Borchgrevink are the latest two to join the list. Milne damaged a knee training in Turkiye on Wednesday, 24 hours before the UEFA Conference League tie against Trabzonspor. He could miss the rest of the season. Borchgrevink hurt his hamstring in the game, joining Craig Halkett, Tom Renaud, Blair Spittal, Oisin McEntee, Eduardo Ageu and Stuart Findlay on the Riccarton treatment table.

Defender Jamie McCart captained Hearts against Trabzonspor and explained that he and the rest of the squad will pull together to battle through the next few games. “I think so, and I think the manager states that as well. You can't really use it as an excuse, especially in games like Thursday,” he said. “I think the boys that come in, I thought [Rogers] Mato was excellent at left-back, Jordi Altena stepping into midfield away at Trabzonspor, it’s a tough place. Kings [Stephen Kingsley] coming on at right-back.

“I think it was a real credit to the players. It's always tough decisions for the manager to make, but we've got full confidence in the boys in the dressing room. You know, everyone's itching to play, everyone's wants to show that they should be playing week in, week out. I think boys showed that on Thursday night. You can't predict these things. Harry was such an innocuous thing in training and it's just gutting for him. With the games coming thick and fast, it's pretty much impossible [to rest anybody].”

Hearts will look to improve their form in North Lanarkshire after only one win in their last six games. Injuries have contributed to that run of results. “Yeah, heading into the Celtic game I felt we're in a really good place, and that's how quickly football changes,” admitted McCart. “In one game, it can almost flip. So I think most important is to get a win on Sunday, but also a good performance and a strong performance for the boys will be key.”

Motherwell will be the fifth of a nine-game run in a month for McCart and his team-mates. It is a demanding schedule which isn’t helping their injury problems, but there is a determination amongst the squad not to complain. “I suppose that's what you want as a footballer, especially when you play at a club like Hearts,” said McCart. “You really want to play in these games, and we had a big enough squad. Injuries are maybe taking their toll a wee bit, but everyone should be itching to play the games.

“I'm loving playing for the manager and the team. I really enjoy playing and I think the boys around have been excellent as well. If we have a fully-fit squad, it's a fight to keep your place in this team with so many numbers. I'm just trying to take one game of time.”

Having won only two Premiership games at Fir Park in the last eight years, the difficulty of Sunday’s task needs no explaining. “I think we'll need to be at our best. They have maybe hit a sticky run of form as well, but hopefully we can come with full confidence and get a win,” commented McCart.