Derek McInnes urges Hearts players to remain focused on title challenge

Derek McInnes has called for calm heads at Hearts as they bid to hold off Celtic in what promises to be a tense finale to the William Hill Premiership title race.

The Jambos have had their advantage at the top trimmed to just one point after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday night before Martin O’Neill’s Hoops defeated Rangers 3-1 on Sunday.

Hearts could win the title on Wednesday if they defeat Falkirk at Tynecastle and Celtic lose at Motherwell. But it is now looking increasingly likely that the race will go to the final day when the top two meet at Celtic Park – a scenario many Jambos supporters are dreading.

McInnes said: “Wednesday’s going to be such a tough night again, Falkirk have shown their quality throughout the season, so there’s work to be done there.

“We knew we’d have to pick up points on the road, so to pick up four from two away games (since the split) is good shooting.

“We’re still in the spot that everybody else would want to be and we’ve just got to stay calm with that, stay focused on the job on Wednesday, and expect to win the game.

“I think we’ve got to expect challenges ahead of us with these next two games, but you don’t win leagues without really having to work for it, and that’s where we’re at.”

Hearts’ tilt at a first title since 1960 has not been helped by the fact influential duo Marc Leonard and Craig Halkett will play no part in the final two games after both were suspected to have ruptured their Achilles tendons in the draw at Fir Park, where Stephen Kingsley’s own goal was cancelled out by Lawrence Shankland’s equaliser for the leaders.

The Jambos will be hoping the Steelmen can do them a favour when they host Celtic on Wednesday but Well boss Jens Berthel Askou stressed that his team’s main motivation will be to try to seal fourth place and a crack at the second qualifying round of the Conference League in the summer.

“We don’t have a desire to derail anyone, we have a desire to win our games, that’s it,” said the Dane. “We have a desire to reach the maximum we can get out of this season, and that is now fourth in the league, which definitely gives us at least one trip outside Scotland after the summer holiday, and that’s what we’re aiming for.

“And now we have the opportunity, which is fantastic, to be able to take that and have it in our own hands already on Wednesday. That point (against Hearts), even though we really wanted to win the game, has given us the opportunity on Wednesday to make sure we can have a big night with the fans at Fir Park.”