Jam tarts duo set for Derby

HEARTS have been handed a boost ahead of Saturday's trip to face Hibs at Easter Road with the news that both Steven Pressley and Takis Fyssas are winning their race to be fit.

The Tynecastle captain was forced to sit out last weekend's win over Kilmarnock with a back problem while Greek internationalist Fyssas hobbled out of the game with a few minutes remaining.

With Jose Goncalves already out of action with a hamstring strain and question marks still surrounding Andy Webster's future after the Scotland internationalist was rested over the last couple of weeks, the absence of Pressley and Fyssas would have given boss Valdas Ivanauskas a major selection headache.

The duo have failed to train at all so far this week but are both expected to report to the club's Riccarton complex this morning to take part in a work-out with the rest of the squad. Coach John McGlynn revealed: "We're hoping Steven Pressley and Takis Fyssas will train today.

"If they were to come through that without any reaction they should be okay for the weekend.

"We were looking at options in case Jose and Takis didn't make it which is why Jamie McAllister was taken out of the reserve squad that played Kilmarnock the other day.

"I'm not saying that he would definitely have come in but he is one who can play in that area."

"Steven's back injury is a niggly one and they can be difficult to shake off, but the type of player he is he will be desperate to play.

"The good thing about Steven though is that he has only missed one game so we don't have any worries about his match fitness because he's already at a good level.

"As long as he gets in a training session of some sort today or tomorrow then we would be very hopeful that he will make it."

Meanwhile, head coach Ivanauskas today insisted Hearts cannot be certain of reaching the Champions League even if they beat Hibs this weekend.

The Gorgie side will stretch their lead over third-placed Rangers to eight points if they can put one over on their city rivals on Saturday and that would leave the Ibrox side - who don't face Celtic until Sunday - with a huge mountain to climb with just four league matches remaining. But, even if Rangers go on to lose at Parkhead, Ivanauskas is refusing to take anything for granted and said: "Even if we beat Hibs there are still three games left to play this season and I think we still have to win all of them. You have to have that attitude for the sake of the players because they must approach it with that attitude. A lot of it is down to their mentality.

"Okay, maybe if we win we give ourselves a very big chance of the Champions League place but we know that Rangers are also a big team. They also have a big derby match to play and that will make a difference to us but we are looking only at Saturday and our game."

And on Berra's situation, he said: "Christophe played at Celtic Park earlier this month, and if you can play there, you can play just about anywhere. We would have no problems asking him to play this weekend if he was needed, he has never let anyone down in the past and he is growing in experience all the time."

Coming just three weeks after their Scottish Cup semi-final humbling at Hampden, Ivanauskas knows Hibs will be determined to redress the balance and put the race for second spot back in the melting pot. The Lithuanian admits the Easter Road side will be fired up and desperate for revenge after that 4-0 defeat at the beginning of the month but is confident that, if they play to the level they are capable of, Hearts have the quality to come out on top. He added: "All of the derby games are special, but this one even more so because it is very near to the end of the season but we need to play very well if we want to win.

"Hibs played very well against Celtic and I know that they have a good young team and a good young manager. They are a very positive side but we are going there to win the game and when we concentrate and work hard then we can be confident."

The Tynecastle club revealed yesterday that both the North and South stands at Hampden have already sold out for next month's Scottish Cup final. There are still East Stand family section and West Stand tickets still available but season ticket holders are reminded that the deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday, May 24.

Taken from the Scotsman