Derek McInnes responds to suggestions the Hearts bubble has burst

Derek McInnes insisted Hearts are heading to in-form Motherwell brimming with optimism for the remainder of the season as he scoffed at suggestions of their impending demise.

The surprise Premiership leaders have had their nine-point advantage trimmed to four points after winning only one of their last four matches and suffering their first defeat of the campaign away to Aberdeen last weekend.

It has been suggested they are starting to lose their way, but McInnes pointed to the fact his team’s supporters have already sold out their allocations for their next three away matches as a sign of the ongoing vibrancy around the club.

“It’s magic, that,” the manager said of the fact there will be more than 4,600 Jambos inside Fir Park.

“I mentioned that again to the players. They (the supporters) will be ready for it and we need to make sure we’re ready for it, and we will be. I think the supporters are enjoying what they’re seeing.

“It was tough for the fans who travelled on Sunday, and you always want to reward them with a positive result. They, like everybody else, will be hearing whatever everybody’s saying, that this is a downturn for Hearts, and all the rest of it.

“We still have so much optimism about the season ahead. I’m sure the fans are, the fact that 4,600 are turning up, and we’ve sold out at Falkirk already, we’ve sold out at Celtic Park already.

“It shows you the buy-in from the supporters. They believe in the team, as I do, and hopefully we can reward them with a result on Saturday.”

Asked about the perception his side need a win on Saturday to silence talk of their bubble bursting, McInnes said: “I get the question, but I actually don’t really care too much about that.

“As a manager, you’re always looking for reaction to a disappointment. I think I know my players. I know they’re conscientious, they’re real, they’re authentic.

“They know what they’re talking about. We know they care. Obviously, when you lose a game of football, it’s not nice.

“But the response will be there and hopefully the response plays out with a win.”

Hearts had to fight back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Motherwell at Tynecastle in August and McInnes is braced for another tough test against Jens Berthel Askou’s side, who have climbed to fourth in the table after taking 13 points from their last five league games.

“The manager has done a great job since he came in,” said McInnes. “I think he’s made a lot of the players who were there better, if not all. Certainly they all look as if they’re improving and they’ve got a lot of confidence.

“They’ve got a good thing going at Motherwell at the minute, so they’re a tough opponent, and we need to be ready for it. Equally, we’re top of the league, and we need to be a tough opponent for them.”