Steven Pressley downplays Hearts title pressure as claim made over Celtic and Rangers

The 52-year-old former Scotland defender, who played for all three clubs, takes his Dundee side to Tynecastle on Saturday looking to strike another blow on the Edinburgh club after their 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock last weekend.

Hearts have led the table since late September, and were once eight points clear, but are now only two points ahead of defending champions Celtic and three ahead of Rangers with eight matches remaining.

"Playing at Hearts, I understand the club, there is always an expectation there," said Dundee head coach Pressley, who spent eight years at Tynecastle as a player. "And they have done so well this season, but I think a lot of people externally think that probably Rangers or Celtic will just nick it. That is what a lot of people are thinking, so I am not sure the pressure is with Hearts.

"But there will be internal pressure, pressure they put on themselves after having such a good season and, because they are in this situation, they want to go the full distance."

Dundee are on a high after coming back from 2-0 down against Dundee United last weekend to secure a 2-2 draw with two dramatic stoppage-time goals. However, Pressley is not buying into the notion that it is a good time to get Derek McInnes’ side.

“I am not sure about that," he said. “With the result last week against Kilmarnock, they will be a wounded animal.

“They’re at home. They have the best home form in the league, and they’ll be determined to get back on track. The one thing that we need to be ready for is a very, very determined Hearts team who are very good at home.

“So, it’s going to take, in my opinion, our best performance of the season to win at Tynecastle this weekend. That’s how big a challenge this weekend is.

“The stats will tell you, they’re unbeaten at home, but also after the disappointment of last week, the importance of them getting back on track, the intensity in and around the stadium, I think it’ll take our best performance of the season to win at Tynecastle.

“We need to go a step beyond anything that we’ve produced this season."

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