Hearts manager Derek McInnes wants his players to become ‘addicted’ to winning, after seeing them rack up yet another Premiership victory to extend their advantage at the top of the Premiership table.
The Jambos made light work of Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday evening, hitting three without reply to secure the win and move five points clear of Celtic, who face Dundee this afternoon.
The top two will go head-to-head at Tynecastle next Sunday, and McInnes is relishing the challenge.
He said: ‘I was asked about the Celtic game before and it was annoying me a wee bit but now we can look forward to it. It’ll be a brilliant atmosphere. All the challenges we’ve had we’ve kept coming up with the answers but Sunday will be the toughest challenge of all.
‘We’re in a good place. The players should be pleased with their performances. The crowd will help us, the confidence will help us but we have to keep maintaining and improving our performance.
‘We have to be addicted to winning. There are going to be belts across the mouth along the road but we want to keep those to a minimum.
Braga and Devlin (right) celebrate after the striker put Hearts 2-0 ahead
It was a triumphant return to Rugby Park for Hearts manager McInnes
‘While we’re winning it’s important we maintain that for as long as we can.’
It was to be a successful return to East Ayrshire for McInnes, who left for Hearts under a cloud at the end of last season, with many Killie supporters still unhappy about the manner of his departure.
But he was delighted to see his players step up and deliver a commanding performance in a hostile environment.
‘It is a tricky fixture, it’s notoriously difficult coming here,’ he said. ‘There was a great turnout from our fans who came with great expectation. We felt it in the warmup and it had the makings of a cup game.
‘First part of the game, it was so frantic and Kilmarnock were better. We didn’t look after the ball enough, gave away stupid free-kicks and invited pressure.
‘We allowed those things to build but we have to accept we won’t always get it our own way. You’ve got to come through that.
‘It wasn’t straightforward but we had work to do and had to respect the challenge and deal with it. The goals were good but four clean sheets in a row are what results are built on.’
Craig Halkett headed the visitors in front midway through the first half, before Braga produced two fine finishes in quick succession at the start of the second period to give the visitors some breathing room and take his tally to eight for the season in all competitions.
Braga turns the ball home to put Hearts on easy street against Kilmarnock
The Portuguese front man celebrates in front of the visiting supporters
‘From the first moment I spoke to him, he’s been so effervescent and enthusiastic,’ said McInnes. ‘He was telling me he was brilliant on astro. We trained on it on Wednesday and he wasn’t so brilliant!
‘The good thing is there’s more to come from him. He can be tidier and more trustworthy but his game has been brilliant so far.’
Killie manager Stuart Kettlewell was left frustrated after seeing his side undone by a series of basic mistakes.
‘I would never chuck anyone under the bus but you don’t see it coming from guys who have been so reliable,’ he said. ‘We have to learn from our errors, but that’s not technically or tactically. It’s concentration and decision-making.
‘Hearts are good enough without presenting them with opportunities, and that was my message to the players.
‘We don’t respond well enough and I felt our emotional intelligence throughout the game didn’t marry in with what it has been.
‘This is a sore one, but we have to revert back to what we’ve been good at, and I’m certain we’ll do that.’
