Raiding Scottish left-back earns Andy Robertson comparison as stunning display forces Liverpool loanee change

Penrice has been a stand-out performer for Hearts this season following his move from Livingston last summer and has become the Jambos’ undisputed first choice at left-back. He continued his excellent form during Hearts’ 3-2 win against Kilmarnock on Saturday, with opposition manager Derek McInnes waxing lyrical afterwards about the 26-year-old.

Such was the strength of Penrice’s performance, McInnes was forced to take off his right-back Calvin Ramsay after the Liverpool loanee, noted his for his offensive work, was given a difficult 45 minutes on his debut by the ex-Partick Thistle man, whose stock is rising at Tynecastle.

“We’d spoken about how he didn’t have probably 90 minutes in him anyway,” said McInnes. “And Penrice is like a raiding full-back. He reminds me of a young Andy Robertson. I think the boy’s doing so well and I think he’s got a chance to go again (and get another move).

“Hearts will be hoping he stays and hangs about for a while, but I think he’s so influential in Hearts’ performances.

“We actually thought there would be two of them running up and down against each other, I was hoping Calvin could go and have an influence going that way against them. But we felt we wanted to do a wee bit more and get another wide player on.

“We knew Calvin wasn’t going to play 90 minutes. And I just felt it was the right time to make the change rather than start the second half. He did absolutely fine bearing in mind he’s not played a lot of football for a long time.”