Heart of Midlothian

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Hearts manager Derek McInnes: "It's the type of conditions which can bring a lot of frustration. It's not easy for the players.

"We had to play to the conditions. We had two quality moments for the goals.

"We get off to the perfect start. Good combination play, great strike from Lawrence and Braga following in.

"Then I thought we were guilty of overplaying. We just needed to turn the ball over and keep it simple, play the percentages in the conditions.

"Harry had tidied a mess up on the line but, by and large, I thought we were very professional. We did what needed to be done, especially second half.

"We're just thankful for that second goal. It's a magnificent strike from Stephen.

"A lot of teams would have struggled today. It wasn't pretty. But it's December, it's Scottish football. You've just got to get in get the points, and get out."

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Hearts' on-loan Oxford United defender Stuart Findlay, 30, is satisfied to wait and see what happens with his longer-term future. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Findlay wants a permanent move to Hearts. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Falkirk boss John McGlynn expects to have an unchanged squad. Keelan Adams (groin), Coll Donaldson (abdomen), Aidan Nesbitt (foot), Gary Oliver (hamstring), Ross MacIver (ankle), Lewis Neilson (ankle) and Tom Lang (foot) are all set to miss out again.

Hearts boss Derek McInnes reported no fresh injury concerns. Midfielders Beni Baningime, Calem Nieuwenhof, Finlay Pollock and Ageu all remain sidelined with hamstring issues.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Claudio Braga had suffered a frustrating five-game barren spell that had coincided with Celtic closing the gap with Hearts at the top of the Premiership.

However, he sprung back to life with a vengeance at Celtic Park last weekend, pouncing on hesitancy in defence to prod in the opening goal in a 2-1 win that re-established a three-point lead for Derek McInnes' side over the reigning champions.

The Portuguese 26-year-old has now scored more away goals in the Premiership this season than any other player, with five of his seven strikes in the competition coming on the road.

With one assist in addition, he is just one goal involvement behind fellow Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland and Motherwell's Tawanda Maswanhise - and McInnes will be hoping the summer purchase from unheralded Norwegian club Aalesunds can kick on again after his vital goal in Glasgow.

It was key to only a second win in seven outings, albeit Hearts also only lost one, and he and Scotland international Shankland could again be key against a Falkirk side who will be trying to bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Hibs that ended their own five-game unbeaten run.

Indeed, John McGlynn's hosts have not lost in six home games, although only two of those were victories, and beat Hearts on their most recent visit just over a year ago - 2-0 in the League Cup at a time when they were a Championship side.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts defender Stuart Findlay insists their impressive victory at Parkhead will count for little if they are unable to back it up at Falkirk on Saturday.

Findlay played the full match as Hearts beat the defending Premiership champions for the second time this season and moved three points above them at the top of the table having played a game more.

Between the two victories against Celtic, Derek McInnes' side won just one of six matches and Findlay says they were unaffected by that stumble.

"We were approaching games the same way as we were during the great run we were on," he said.

"We've got a good camp and it's about taking one game at a time. There's going to be outside noise.

"We know what we've got to do. It's important we take it into Falkirk - there's no point us beating Celtic and not following it up."

Findlay says McInnes was determined to keep his squad on an even keel despite the morale-boosting win in Glasgow.

"It was a good dressing room [after the game]," he said. "It's been a difficult spell, a lot of questions asked of us as a squad.

"We went there with full belief, executed the gameplan as well as we could have hoped and it was a really good win.

"The manager made sure we didn't get too high and stay level-headed, but there's no getting away from the fact it was a massive win for us."

Lewis Neilson's Hearts future will be discussed next year when the defender recovers from ankle surgery, with the 22-year-old, who sufffered the injury while on loan to Falkirk, out of contract at the end of the season. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Record Hearts signing Eduardo Ageu has flown to Portugal for medical treatment on his hamstring injury and staff at the Portuguese Football Federation are working with the Brazilian midfielder as he aims to regain fitness and return to action next month. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

• Falkirk are winless in six top-flight meetings with Hearts (D2 L4) since a 2-1 victory in September 2008.

• This will be Hearts' first top-flight visit to Falkirk since a 1-0 win in December 2009. Hearts have won their past three away league games at newly-promoted opposition.

• Falkirk are unbeaten in six home league matches (W2 D4), their longest run in the top flight since going seven without defeat from October 2006 to January 2007.

• With 35 points in 16 games, Hearts have made the best start to a top-flight season by a non-Old Firm club since 2005-06, when Hearts themselves had 37 points in their opening 16 games.

• Hearts forward Claudio Braga has scored more away goals in the Premiership this season than any other player, with five of his seven strikes coming on the road, including last time out at Celtic.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes is confident Khazakstan winger Islam Chesnokov will arrive at Tynecastle shortly so the new signing is ready for a January debut with Hearts after exiting Tobol.

The 26-year-old, capped 22 times for his country, ended his two-year spell with the Kostanay club by helping them finish fifth in the 13-team Kazakhstan Premier League and now awaits a work permit to complete his transfer as a free agent.

"We're still going through the whole visa process," Hearts head coach McInnes said. "It's still with good communication and good conversations - not me, [sporting director] Graeme Jones over the last few days.

"We're trying to make sure we get everything in place before the holiday season.

"The plan is still to get him into the country in the next week or so. If he's allowed to train and allowed to be in the country, of course, we'll look to get him. He's had a long season, both international breaks and always in his country.

"I think that mental and physical shutdown is good for him, but he's not going away on vacation or anything. He's staying at home. We can pick up his work quite quickly. We'd like to get him integrated with the squad, of course."

McInnes expects one or two other signings in the January window but points out they must adhere to investor Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics system.

"I always get the final say if we'd sign a player or not, if we make a contract offer," he added.

"Obviously, there's well-documented players that have got ratings. I can't just pick a player and say I want to sign him if it doesn't marry up with Jamestown's ratings.

"We're trying to bring a level of player into the club every window if we can that would marry up with everybody's thoughts about the improvements. Those players have to have a certain rating."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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With rival fans and a few pundits claiming the air had been seeping out of Hearts' bubble after a few dropped points, the victory over champions Celtic may make them reconsider their opinion.

Hearts' bubble is very much inflated after the 2–1 victory, and if anyone thought they were about to give up their top-of-the-table position, they should think again.

While the spotlight has been on Hearts' new recruits this season - the likes of Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis have claimed much of the attention - the standout player is now in his fifth season at Tynecastle.

Few people had heard of Cammy Devlin when he joined the club in summer 2021. Since then, he has played over 120 times for Hearts and has featured in all 21 games this season.

The 27-year-old is playing the best football of his life at the moment and was a worthy man of the match in the victory at Parkhead. It's little wonder Derek McInnes is so keen to secure the midfielder on a new contract to keep him at Tynecastle beyond next summer.

Devlin won the most duels (12) of any player at Celtic Park on Sunday and, along with Tomas Magnusson, ranked highest in the Hearts team for possession won (eight).

With four caps to his name, in-form Devlin is a serious contender to in the Socceroos squad for next year's World Cup.

For Hearts, the opportunity this week is huge - win at Falkirk on Saturday night and go six points clear at the top.

However, the Bairns, astutely managed by former Jambo John McGlynn, have slotted seamlessly into their first top-flight campaign in 15 years and will be no pushover.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes hopes Cammy Devlin continues to get more recognition for his consistency once "he signs his contract" as talks progress to extend the Australia midfielder's stay at Tynecastle.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Scottish Premiership leaders from Newcastle Jets in 2021, had impressed McInnes before his own move to Tynecastle this summer.

"I always thought Cammy was a good player and he's got to take the credit for the improvements in his game this season," he said.

"I think we're seeing a lot more maturity in his performances, a lot more leadership, a lot more more prominent, not just when he's on the ball, but I think he's got big influence, which you want from your centre-midfield players."

Devlin was quoted this week as saying he is no closer to agreeing a new contract beyond next summer and is concentrating on his on-field performances.

"Cammy's been a player who's been so consistent and it's nice that he's getting a bit of recognition for that," McInnes added. "I'd like that recognition to come when he signs his contract a bit more, but it's nice nonetheless."

Talks are ongoing with a number of other players out of contract next summer, including defenders Frankie Kent and Craig Halkett, and McInnes is hopeful he will have some news soon.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Saturday's game against Falkirk.

Here are the main points:

• McInnes says the win away to Celtic last weekend "reinforces my confidence in the squad".

• League leaders Hearts have now beaten Celtic twice, Rangers, Hibs and Aberdeen this season and McInnes takes "a lot of comfort" from their performances in the big games where "there's a bit more expected of you and the opponents have been really tough".

• Hearts are still going through the visa process for pre-contract signing Islam Chesnokov but hope the Kazakhstan forward will arrive in Scotland "in the next week or so" before officially joining on 1 January.

• Players including Cammy Devlin, Beni Baningime and Stuart Findlay are out of contract next summer and McInnes says there is "constant dialogue" over new deals.

• He adds: "There's been a lot of conversations had over the last few months. We're just trying to make some headway with a few things. I'm confident we'll get some good news on one or two, but there's nothing certain for that at the minute."

• McInnes is hopeful Devlin will extend his Tynecastle stay and praises the Australia midfielder's improvement this season, saying he is delivering "a lot more maturity in his performances, a lot more leadership on the pitch".

• With Hearts utilising Jamestown Analytics for recruitment, McInnes insists he always has the "final say" on signings and contract offers.

• He adds: "But obviously, it's well documented players have got ratings, so I can't just pick a player and say I want to sign him if it doesn't marry up with Jamestown's ratings."

• McInnes is looking to bring in "one or two" players during the January transfer window and says: "Sometimes when your results aren't there, you're a bit busy in January, which is a window where it's traditionally tough to get improvements. But we're top of the league, we've got a squad, we've still got one or two to come back, so we won't be as busy as maybe some people think. But we are looking to maybe be quite specific on one or two."

• On Falkirk, McInnes says manager John McGlynn has "imposed himself on the whole club" and they've been a "great addition" to the Premiership.

Heart of Midlothian midfielder Cammy Devlin, who is out of contract in the summer, says "nothing has happened of yet" amid talks about a new deal but says he has a great relationship with sporting director Graeme Jones and his main focus is on playing well. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay suggests there should perhaps have been a consultation with supporters before VAR was introduced in Scotland. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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With a little over three weeks until the January transfer window opens, the success of Hearts' summer business is evident.

Hearts sit top of the Premiership with many of their summer signings making a contribution towards their title push.

Portuguese star Claudio Braga has seven league goals - including the opener in the 2-1 weekend win at Celtic - while Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis has been a major success and the likes of Parkhead matchwinner Oisin McEtee, Stuart Findlay and Alexander Schwolow have also proved shrewd additions.

With Derek McInnes' table-topping team still carrying the fight to the Old Firm, how crucial could the January window be?

Hearts supporter Liam Corbett, from the This is My Story podcast told BBC Radio 5 Live's The Monday Night Club, "I think it will be big.

"We've already done some early business, we've got Islam Chesnokov the Kazakhstan international that's been highly spoken of, we've got the Brazilian Ageu that we signed in the summer that we just can't get fit.

"But I still think we'll do some business and that's where I'm most excited.

"This title race feels different to the Aberdeen one [last season]. Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics is what drives it, the summer window was our first shot of it and it's transformed our team.

"Braga was playing in the second tier in Norway, he looks phenomenal. Kyziridis will be chapping on the door to get a Grecce call-up, he's been phenomenal.

"There's also the return to form of Lawrence Shankland, plus Derek McInnes and his knowledge of Scottish football has gone over to Kilmarnock and taken Findlay. If he could do the same with [David] Watson in the midfield I'd be absolutely delighted.

"So, it's a huge window."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

In a week that saw Hearts pick up four points from games against Kilmarnock and Celtic, few supporters would have predicted the win would come at Parkhead.

For the first time in 40 years, we've beaten both Rangers and now Celtic away in the same season, with the last occasion being that infamous 1985-1986 campaign.

As soon as we discovered the Celtic starting line-up I felt we could take something and no doubt Derek McInnes would have been hugely encouraged by the tactical tinkering from Celtic's new boss Wilfried Nancy.

It's somewhat fitting that as there's a changing of the guard in the Hearts boardroom, with Ann Budge stepping down after 11 years as chair, there could be a shift in power in Scottish football.

I said at the start of the season Hearts needed to pick up 10 points from the Old Firm. Already we are at nine points from three games.

Now, three games shy of the season's halfway stage, there has to be a belief we can last the distance.

We have to go to Falkirk and win this weekend to put more pressure on our rivals. We've seen already that both Rangers and Celtic got spooked at the scary prospect of a resurgent Hearts and got rid of their managers before Halloween.

Expectations continue to rise among Hearts supporters and the absolute minimum Jambos would accept is a third-place finish. Even then, there would still be a lot of disappointment given how the season has panned out so far.

It's still feels a bit premature - and presumptuous - to make the Leicester City 2015-16 comparisons just yet, but the belief in Gorgie is growing.

If we are able to navigate the upcoming fixtures against Falkirk, Rangers and Hibs relatively unscathed then 2026 could be the best year for generations of Jambos.

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Claudio Braga has urged Hearts not to get carried away with their latest win over Celtic and says there are still things to "sharpen up".

The Portuguese forward's opener on Sunday sent Hearts on the way to a 2-1 victory at Parkhead and three-point lead at the top.

But with only one victory in the six matches in between two wins over the champions, Braga knows they cannot afford to drop standards.

"If we win against Celtic and we lose against Falkirk, then what's the point, you know? That makes no sense," he said.

"So we just need to keep working, sharpen up the things we need to sharpen up.

"There are always going to be bumps on the road but we can't have any doubts about ourselves. We just need to to carry on knowing what we can do and showing that personality.

"There is pressure when you're in the position we're in at the top of the league, but it's a good pressure.

"We know what we can do, not only against Celtic but against every team. We're not the best team because we beat Celtic on Sunday and we weren't the worst team when we were on a run of not winning the last five games. We just needed to be a little more sharp in the situation.

"Yes, it's a good motivation to have beaten Celtic twice but we know if we play like a family we can do that to most teams."

Braga's goal was met with a delayed reaction as the vast majority of people in the ground looked for an offside flag, but Arne Engels had played the forward onside.

"I thought I was offside at first, then I didn't know," Braga said. "I just tried not to give up on the ball.

"I didn't really celebrate while we waited. I looked at the bench straight away and the players there were telling me it was onside. They always have the camera so I just tried to check in with them. It was a good moment."