Hearts boss Derek McInnes looking for continued improvements from top-of-the-table Premiership leaders

Derek McInnes is looking for his table-topping Hearts side to keep improving as they aim to maintain their strong start to the season.

The undefeated Gorgie outfit lead the pack after six wins and a draw from their first seven games as they currently sit two points ahead of champions Celtic at the summit. .

However, McInnes insists they won’t be resting on their laurels as he demanded more from his players in the games ahead.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, as Hearts prepare for this weekend’s trip to Rugby Park, he said: “It is a strong start, but it is just a start. We are really enjoying what we are doing and what we are getting from the players.

“We are talking about Hearts trying to stay top of the league, taking the good from a last-minute derby winner, and now concentrating on the next challenge.

“People are now asking me about the Celtic game in a couple of weeks time, I get the reasons for that, but our game on Saturday needs our full attention and all we are concentrating on is a tough game at Kilmarnock.

“There is a lot to be positive about at this club at the minute, but we are all aware how quickly that can change.

“We need to concentrate on improving our performances. The performance against Hibs was fine, the winner came late on, and I thought we were the team who were really trying to win the game at that point.

“But the performance wasn’t as good as we’d have liked it to be, so we really have to concentrate on improving that. We will need to improve if we are going to try to maintain the levels we are at.

“There are a lot of challenges in the next block of games, as there is every week in the Premiership, but I have been delighted with the motivation and consistency of this team and I think it is important that we continue to have the fight with ourselves.

“Because if we continue to improve, and have that fight with ourselves to keep improving, then I am confident that we can keep winning games and keep ourselves up at the top end of the table.”

McInnes has been the subject of speculation linking him, among several others, with the vacant Rangers job since Russell Martin’s dismissal ten days ago.

The Hearts boss says he prefers the speculation that comes with doing well to the speculation that comes with not doing well, but insists he won’t be distracted by background noises with his full focus on the next game.

He said: “Anytime a team is doing well, there is speculation about the manager, and people talk you up. But the flip side of that is that when things aren’t going well, you are batting off questions about your job, so we are just concentrating on trying to maintain our strong start.”