Marius Zaliukas transformed from liability to leader ahead of 100th appearance

IF HEARTS come away from Ibrox with a point or more this afternoon, chances are that Marius Zaliukas will have played a significant role in the outcome.

The centre-back, who will make his 100th appearance for the Tynecastle club, has steadily emerged as one of the key players in Csaba Laszlo's side, with his discipline in defence becoming steadily more impressive.

The 26-year-old Lithuanian, who has made more appearances for Hearts than any of his current colleagues bar Lee Wallace and Michael Stewart, has vindicated his manager's decision to appoint him vice-captain by making the transition from liability to leader in rapid time.

Zaliukas missed the start of the season through suspension after being sent off four times in the previous campaign, but is confident he is now able to adapt to the demands of the Scottish game without incurring the wrath of officials.

"When I first came here the thing that struck me was that it was very hard," he reflected. "The games were hard and you had to be very strong. But I liked that.

"Before I came over here I wasn't that aggressive, but here if you want to play you have to learn to be strong. So I would say I learned that here, but I also know I am not so good if I am sitting in the stand."

"Last season I did the wrong thing twice," he continued, suggesting that his other dismissals were unmerited. "I thought that maybe after I came back from my suspension it was going to be the same.

"But I had an injury and since I have come back into the side it has been okay. I have only had one yellow. Touch wood.

"When I came here I was 22 and I was one of the younger boys in the side. The average age was quite high.

"Now at 26 I am one of the oldest and that is quite hard. I have to set an example to the younger ones – and we have a lot of them."

Scott Robinson and Gordon Smith are among the youngest, and both teenagers should again be involved up front. Stewart and Eggert Jonsson will shoulder the burden in midfield, while Ismael Bouzid should partner Zaliukas at the back. Much has been made of the fact that Rangers will be without Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller and Nacho Novo, but Zaliukas, in common with his manager, does not believe that the champions will be notably weakened by such losses. Instead, he thinks the midweek cup match against Hamilton is more likely to take its toll.

"I was actually happy to see the game go to extra time the other night, because I knew they only had three days until our game. They had to play late into the evening. It was very cold, I imagine, and that obviously takes more energy out of players.

"They have players out, but they have more of a strike force to choose from. And the young players they have will try to prove to their manager they are good enough, so it is going to be hard for us."

Even so, fifth-placed Hearts are enjoying their best run of the season at present, and will also be buoyed by the fact that they have already won in Glasgow this season – when they beat Celtic in the quarter-final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

"We have won in one half of Glasgow already this season, and we hope we can go to the other half and do the same.

"We have gone six games unbeaten now, so we have confidence and obviously we want to win to put Hibs under pressure above us."

Meanwhile, Hearts director of football Aleksandr Metlitski has had preliminary talks with Darren Barr's agent about a possible move to Tynecastle for the Falkirk captain.

Barr, whose contract runs out in the summer, has also had talks with Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United, but would prefer a move to England and is expected to stay with Falkirk for the rest of the season.