Stevenson says Hearts are due a bit of luck to end poor run

Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson admits he feels the players are due the rub of the green following a fraught period both on and off the park.

The 27-year-old reckons their performance in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Dundee United merited at least a point as they enjoyed long spells of possession without being able to cancel out Scott Robertson’s goal.

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio has confessed that the off-field turmoil engulfing the club is affecting the players. The majority of the first team squad are still waiting for their wages for the previous month, and on the park Hearts have lost three out of their last four games having failed to score in any of those matches.

Sergio said earlier in the week: “We are not in our best moment. We were growing as a team when we beat Celtic. We had an away win at Dunfermline. But, after with all the problems that we are living here in this moment, I think we are losing some things and it has been hard.

“I hope the guys can look ahead just on football. It’s not easy, but we are working hard on that and to win three points. We need the three points so much next week.”

Stevenson and his team-mates also face an uncertain future with owner Vladimir Romanov putting the club up for sale and the players being made available for transfer in January to service a debt thought to be in the region of £30 million.

Hearts welcome SPL basement side Inverness this weekend and Stevenson is hoping to create some positive headlines with a morale-boosting three points.

He said: “It has been a difficult. Over the last three or four weeks we have been playing well and not getting the breaks and we want to change that as quick as possible.

“I think we dominated the game at United. They went up the park once in the first half and scored. That was it, game finished. The way things are going just now, something goes against you, everything starts going against us, but we can’t use that as an excuse. We need to push on and get the three points on Saturday.

“It does not really get any harder with Inverness coming as they’re fighting for their lives as well. The Inverness game now takes on extra importance. I think we’re only seven points ahead of them so we can’t just dismiss it that they’re bottom of the league and we’re going to turn up and win.”

Stevenson, meanwhile, knows full well what to expect when Hearts play host to junior outfit Auchinleck Talbot in the Scottish Cup in January. He added: “I know them quite well. I have been to a few of their games over the years and a few of my mates actually play for Auchinleck. It will be a hard draw. It’s a potential banana skin.

“The Ayrshire juniors have something of a fearsome reputation, but fortunately the game is at our place.

“If it was down there it would be an eye-opener for the boys because the fans are one of a kind, put if that way. It will be a good game and one we won’t take lightly.”