Derek McInnes instructed his Hearts players to banish any lingering doubts about their title credentials after they took a significant stride towards making history by defeating Hibernian. The league leaders fell behind to an early goal from Martin Boyle at Easter Road but quickly found themselves with a numerical advantage when home goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger handled the ball outside his penalty area. With Hibs subsequently forced to play the final 42 minutes with only nine men after Felix Passlack received a second yellow card, McInnes' side equalised when Warren O'Hora deflected Lawrence Shankland's strike past his own goalkeeper. Then, with just four minutes remaining, substitute Blair Spittal scored the decisive goal that strengthened their position at the summit of the table.
With four games left to play, Hearts now sit three points ahead of Celtic and four in front of Rangers as they pursue their first league title since 1960. When asked what was required to create history, McInnes said: 'Confidence with what we're doing. Being as confident as we can be with our work. It's going to be so important. Don't let doubt or anxiety come into it.'
McInnes highlighted his team's impressive record against top-six sides, stating: 'Today there was a lot on the game. It felt different today than a normal derby. We were well aware of what was at stake, but I take confidence in the fact that I think we're over 70 per cent for a win ratio against teams in the top six, better than any other team. So, for me, the reference is the bigger the game, the bigger the performance and the bigger the result. I think that's something we can hang on to. It doesn't give you guarantees, but we've got to remain confident because we've never really wavered in that all season. We've believed in what we're doing, we work properly, we never accept bad practice, we don't have a lazy day, we're all for the next game — and we need to be ready for the next game.'
When asked if failing to win the title would now feel like a disappointment, McInnes replied: 'No, we can't be disappointed with what the players have given us this season. We can't even allow ourselves to think that. I've said in the last week or so that we don't want pats on the back for good old Hearts taking it all the way. It might well go all the way, but we need to be prepared to go all the way and try and win it. We've got games to win, we can't get too caught up and allow ourselves to think we'll be disappointed. I'm not allowing any negative chat to come into it.'
McInnes felt his side deserved the victory, which ensured they have won three out of four derbies this season. 'I'm pleased with the players, that they stayed calm,' he reflected. 'It's very unusual as you don't practise against nine men. It's an unusual set of circumstances to win a game of football. It wasn't easy for our players. It was easier than it was for Hibs, of course, but it's not easy. Everybody just sits back and goes, why are we not scoring? Why are we not winning? You've got a group of Hibs players who are doing everything they can with their blocks and all the rest of it and thankfully we've managed to come out the other end of it.'
The Hearts manager revealed that the squad was inspired by seeing thousands of fans walking down Easter Road before the game. 'You don't need to say anything,' he said. 'We were actually watching a little video at the time (of goals and clips) and it kind of got lost in the moment when we watched all the carnage. The Hibs fans gave us a good welcome as well. It just adds to it, it's exciting — you'd rather have that than nothing. It stung really hard when we lost here in December and a derby defeat should feel like a death. I know it's not, but it felt awful that day. So, I know how I wanted to feel today going back on to the bus.'
Hibs manager David Gray had no complaints about the two red cards. 'I think they were the right decisions,' he said. 'The nine men that remained on the pitch gave absolutely everything and didn't deserve that because of how much they put into it.' Now six points behind fourth-placed Motherwell, Gray conceded that his team face a difficult challenge. 'It becomes more difficult, clearly, because we're further points away and one game down,' he added.
