Joel Pereira: Hearts boss Daniel Stendel addresses on-loan Man United 'keeper dilemma

Joel Pereira has made costly errors in his last three league games

Daniel Stendel insists there is nothing in under-fire Joel Pereira’s loan agreement which means Hearts are obliged to continue playing him.

The goalkeeper has been in poor form recently, making costly errors in each of the last three league games against St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Celtic.

The fact he has retained his place despite displaying such vulnerability between the sticks has led to suggestions that Hearts have to keep playing him in order to keep his parent club Manchester United happy.

When this was put to Stendel ahead of today’s bottom-of-the-table showdown with Hamilton Accies, the manager said: “I understand your question but to be really honest there is not one idea or thought like that in my head to decide things like that for the first eleven.”

No confirmation on starting goalkeeper for Hamilton showdown

Stendel declined to confirm whether Pereira would be replaced for today’s critical match at Tynecastle.

“There are a lot questions about the goalkeeper and in the end I think we all can play better,” said the manager. “We look after training and look after games and sometimes we’re happy and sometimes not happy with some performances but what is important is that we need to show trust in our players and that means also in difficult situations.

"But in the end we need the best team on the pitch on Saturday.”

Stendel admits he likes Pereira’s ability to play with the ball at his feet and help Hearts keep possession but the manager acknowledged that a goalkeeper’s main job is still to make saves. “I like when we have a goalkeeper who can play from the back and has confidence when he gets a backpass,” he said.

“But every manager likes a keeper who can save the ball as well - and I am no different. This is the start of everything, after that I like experience and the ability to play within our game, not only to save balls.”

'Most of the time I have been here he has played well and I trust him'

Stendel admits Pereira has been off form recently but believes he is generally a good goalkeeper.

He feels the 23-year-old has a good support network around him to help him ride out his current confidence crisis. “On one side we have a good coaching staff and Paul Gallacher works with him every day and knows him so much better,” said the manager. “A good relationship between the goalkeeping coach and the keepers is important.

“On the other side we talk about everybody in our squad and we look at the situation, what is his confidence, what are his qualities for us and our game?

“I think most of the time since I have been here he has played very well, and this is also the reason to trust him. We know and he knows he can play so much better than in the last games. But this is professional football, everybody looks after themselves and looks to bring their best performance. When you can show that you can play, when not we can change it.”

Selection concerns ahead of Accies test

While Daniel Stendel has a decision to make with regard to whether Pereira, Zdenek Zlamal or Colin Doyle starts in goals, he has also some fitness issues to contend with.

Aaron Hickey is back training but is unlikely to be risked today while Michael Smith and Sean Clare have been nursing groin and hamstring problems but should be fit to face Accies. Toby Sibbick remains out through illness and Marcel Langer is suspended.

“On the one hand, we have a responsibility to every player in the squad,” said Stendel. “But we also have to do what is best for the team at the moment. It’s a fine line at the moment with a lot of players.

“Some players have a lot of injuries that aren’t so bad, they still want to play and want to help us. In a normal situation, it would be a bit different. But, in our situation, we look at it differently.

“Michael Smith and Sean Clare are examples, they’ve come back to help us and suffered for it. This weekend they maybe play and then we have a little bit of a longer week until the next game.

"Then I hope some players can recover better. But this game is so important that anyone who can play will play.”