Simo Valakari tells St Johnstone to treat Hearts fixture as must-win game

Simo Valakari has told his St Johnstone players to treat Wednesday’s trip to Hearts as a must-win match as they bid to keep their William Hill Premiership survival hopes alive.

Last-placed Saints moved within three points of second-bottom Ross County when they beat the Staggies 2-1 on Saturday.

They need another big effort at Tynecastle as they know they will be relegated if they fail to win and County triumph away to Dundee. A Saints victory in Edinburgh will ensure the fight goes to the last day.

Asked if he felt it was a game his side had to win, manager Valakari said: “Yes, because we cannot know how the other results will go. So, as always, we go and prepare ourselves to win it.

“We are still in this fight and now it’s a different challenge, Wednesday night to go play against Hearts.

“It’s their last home match, they want to show how good they are for their own fans so we really need to be up for it and take the confidence that we are a good team and move it to the Wednesday night.”

Hearts sacked Neil Critchley last month after a run of five games without a win in which they scored only goal.

However, Valakari is wary of the fact the Jambos are now “playing free-flowing football” after winning their last two games under caretaker boss Liam Fox and scoring six goals in the process.

“Hearts are in good form,” he said. “Tynecastle is not the easiest place to go, but at the same time, it’s a beautiful stadium.

“It’s a different Hearts. I really like how, especially now, they’re attacking because the pressure is kind of off and they can enjoy their football.

“I’ve been following Hearts a lot during the season and they have been playing very, very well, creating chances, but they have not taken their chances. It looks so bad when you don’t get the results. But now suddenly the balls are going in every moment.

“That tells me that, all the time they have had all these good players, good team, but now they can enjoy their football. And we need to stop that.”