Lawrence Shankland in honest injury update as Hearts striker admits what isn't guaranteed upon return

Lawrence Shankland admits he’s still got a while to go on the injury comeback front after watching Hearts coast to a 3-0 Premiership win at Dundee United.

The injured striker was in the Sky Sports studio on Saturday night amid his rehabilitation from a hamstring strain that was confirmed as putting him out for six-eight weeks, following last month’s Scottish Cup elimination by Falkirk. Pierre Landry Kabore’s double and an Alexandros Kyziridis penalty sealed a comfy victory at Tannadice where the hosts had Amar Fatah and Panutche Camara sent off, alongside first team coach Dave Bowman.

Ahead of Rangers playing Hibs on Sunday, Hearts went seven points clear at the top, despite injuries to Shankland, Cammy Devlin and a suspension for midfielder Beni Baningime. Shankland provided an injury update on his hamstring and admits he isn’t that close to a return, but the rehab work is commencing to get him there.

Lawrence Shankland on injury latest

He said on his injury return status: “Not too close, unfortunately. It's one of those things, unfortunate to pick up an injury at the moment I did. But rehab has started, hopefully things progress well through that and I can be back as soon as possible. I can't wait to get back. It's nights like this where you see the crowds turning up and the boys are getting ready for the game. That's the moment when it kind of sinks in that you're not part of it the now. It's a good moment for us. The team are doing really well.”

On the game itself, the forward insisted that amid the form of others like Kabore, it didn’t totally mean that he is an automatic starter upon his return to the fold later this season. He said: “If boys are getting the opportunity and coming in and scoring goals, I'm not sitting here thinking there's a guarantee I'll go back in that team. If boys are playing well and performing week in, week out, that's why Landry's had to be patient and wait on his moment.

“Obviously, the opportunity has arose because of my injury, and he's taking it. That's what you need as a squad if you're going to be successful. You need everybody to stay ready. The boys train well, even some that don't get in the squads. We've got the likes of Alan Forrest and stuff who are not making squad on Saturday night. Top players that would play for any team.

Lawrence Shankland on Hearts form

“Every week they turn up the commitment is there, the competitiveness in training and they bring that level to keep themselves right, so when they get the opportunity that they're ready to get to games and play as well as somebody who they've replaced. Obviously, results help. We've found a rhythm, we've found a way to win games.

“We've won games in all different ways, so that obviously helps, but the manager just gives everybody confidence. He's needing to handle a big squad. He's giving people opportunities and sometimes that is hard to balance when you see the squad that we've got in training and stuff. It is difficult to manage that.

“There's difficulties in there but I think he's got a group of players that are all willing to work hard, keep doing what they're doing, and wait for their opportunities. I think the attitude from all the boys in the squad needs to be commended and obviously giving the manager headaches when he needs to go and decide on which squad is going to take on each game. There’s 100% belief in terms of the belief that we can win games.

“I think we've shown throughout the season we can win all different types of games. Every test we get asked when somebody needs to come in and perform, go and win a game, all the questions that have come at us so far we've managed to answer. As a captain and as a teammate, you need to be proud of that fact, and proud as a team that you can go and handle that pressure. So we've got another few important games coming up very soon and we just need to keep doing what we're doing.”