'I need to play more' - Gordon

Hearts keeper Craig Gordon insists there was no panic among the Hearts squad despite their slow start against Livingston on Saturday.

A Stephen Kelly double put the Premiership's bottom club 2-0 up in the first half, but Hearts recovered to win 4-2 at Tynecastle.

“There hasn’t been [any panic] and that’s the reason this squad have done what they have this season," Gordon said.

“It’s just about getting back to the game plan and doing things a little bit better. That's all it was. Just carrying out the game plan a little bit better than we had been in the first ten or fifteen minutes.

"We slowly got ourselves into the game and got the goal and once we got one we were on the front foot."

It was Gordon's first league start of the season, and a first since December 2022, as the veteran stopper prepares for next Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.

"I’ve not had many games this season since coming back," Gordon added. "It’s good to get that one out of the way ahead of a huge game next week. One we will prepare well for all week and one we are looking forward to.”

The 41-year-old wants to stay between the sticks until the end of the season as he pushes for a place in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for this summer's Euros.

“I need to play more," he said. "I need to play as many of these games between now and the end of the season as possible. If I can do that then I think I can give myself that opportunity.”