Hearts player left on crutches at Riccarton

Interim manager Liam Fox has a fresh injury to contend with

Interim Hearts manager Liam Fox has an injury concern in the early days of his reign as he prepares for a vital week in charge of the first team. With Ross County due at Tynecastle Park on Saturday, Costa Rican defender Gerald Taylor has been left on crutches. He is out of that fixture along with next week’s European tie against Dinamo Minsk and the Premiership visit to Aberdeen.

Taylor suffered a knee injury after landing awkwardly in the first half of last week’s 2-1 defeat at St Mirren. He was substituted during the interval as Daniel Oyegoke took over at right-back. The 23-year-old has been placed on crutches to keep weight off his leg at Hearts’ Riccarton training base and is expecting to be missing for some considerable time.

Fox, the club’s B team coach, is in temporary charge of the senior side following the club’s decision to sack their management staff in the wake of the loss in Paisley. Head coach Steven Naismith was relieved of his duties alongside assistants Frankie McAvoy and Gordon Forrest after a run of eight successive defeats which leaves the Edinburgh club bottom of the Premiership table.

Fox’s task is to focus on the next three games prior to October’s international break. However, he will be without the servies of Costa Rica international full-back Taylor. Hearts travel to Azerbaijan to take on Dinamo on neutral territory next Thursday and from there will fly to Aberdeen for the league match at Pittodrie three days later. Oyegoke is one of main candidates to deputise for Taylor at right-back.