Icelandic midfielder scored in the Premiership against St Mirren

He likes a goal celebration, does Tomas Magnusson. Both his Hearts strikes against Dundee and St Mirren preceded extensive and passionate revelry in front of supporters. You get the impression he just wants to be loved. More of his midweek efforts would certainly help Hearts fans further appreciate the big Icelander’s range of abilities.

Magnusson hasn’t found it easy in recent weeks whilst playing wide on the right of midfield. He is more used to the centre and is more effective there. After coming on as a second-half substitute, and joining a team down to 10 men who were battling for their lives, he eased the pressure by scoring the second goal in an inspired 2-0 win.

“It’s a huge result,” the player told the Edinburgh News. “I think it just shows the character of the squad and how much we back each other. We’ve come back to win the game with 10 men, it shows what we can do. That’s two games in a row now that we’ve gone a man down and you see everyone is willing to put a shift in. It was a brilliant night.

“The atmosphere was brilliant. Every stand was up for it. We could hear it from minute one. It was absolutely buzzing for the whole game. We have to keep going, deal with every game and see where it will take us. You obviously can’t write us off. We just look at the next game, which is in the Scottish Cup, but our results show we are there.”

Magnusson’s 80th-minute header came after left-back Harry Milne - playing in midfield - found himself in an advanced position to shoot. St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George parried the effort and the Ice Man was cool enough to head in the rebound.

“I think they were screaming at Harry: ‘What are you doing up there?’ It felt quite natural in the game,” recalled Magnusson. “Harry was just coming over and trying to create some chaos. We were only one goal up. Kabore gets the ball and it bobbles around a bit. I got a foot into it, passed it to Harry, then he should have passed it back to me instead of shooting. Luckily, the goalkeeper saved it and it bounced to me so I got the goal.”

He smiles talking about Milne shooting instead of releasing the ball. Instinct told Magnusson to keep running deep into the visitors’ penalty box. “Yeah, I think so. I was still making the run because I wanted the ball back. We were two against one, the defender went to Harry so he could have passed it back, but obviously he went for the shot. He’s in the box, I understand that. I just followed up and got a goal out of it.”

In the dressing room at full-time, head coach Derek McInnes praised the 23-year-old. “He said: ‘Well done to everybody, and Tomas, well done Tomas getting your big head on it,’” laughed Magnusson. He looks like he is enjoying Scottish football after leaving his native league for a new experience. Hearts are top of the league, six points clear, and don’t look like they are feeling the pressure.

“No, that’s right. Everyone likes winning in football,” said Magnusson. “You have to put in a shift whether you are having a good day or a bad day, like we have had to in the last two games. That’s why we do it. We have shown brilliant character throughout the season. We were behind early in games, we’ve scored winning goals late in games, so we have come through it all. I think we will keep going and I believe we can face every obstacle.”

The new position on the right is not something he intends to complain about. “I just try to work for the team in whatever task I’m asked to do. Obviously, it’s not something I do every day or every week, playing that inverted right-winger role, but it’s good for me. I can learn and I was pleased to get a goal in midweek. I should have got a goal against Livi so it’s really good that I scored this time.”

McInnes outlined chats with the player to explain why he was being left out of the starting line-up against St Mirren. Magnusson had been in the team for the previous seven Hearts fixtures. “He eats the ground up really well. To be fair to him, I've asked him to play skewed into that top corner of the midfield to try and protect us defensively at the weekend. It doesn't suit him, but on Wednesday he's in his natural position,” said McInnes.

“He gets across the ground. I thought him and Harry Milne, when they joined the midfield three either side of Cammy, took the responsibility of supporting attacks brilliantly. They did it to the letter and really helped Landry Kabore up front. Harry played a big part in the goal and then Tomas gets his head on it. It just shows you what can happen in football.

“We spoke to Tomas about being left out of the team and he is young. He put so much into it. If you look at his stats from the weekend at Dundee, he's run himself into the ground. He was absolutely shattered. Even on Tuesday, before the St Mirren game, he still looked a tired boy.

“He got to the pace of the game when he came on against St Mirren, as did all the subs. I thought all the subs helped us - Jamie McCart, Frankie Kent, Kabore and Jordi Altena. But Tomas can be really please with his work. That just shows you. He was probably feeling a wee bit rotten about himself because he just wants to impress, as they all do. He had a big bearing on the game on Wednesday.”