Derek McInnes urges Hearts to take 100 per cent record into international break

Derek McInnes has challenged Hearts to ensure they go into next month’s international break with their 100 per cent record in the Premiership still intact.

The Tynecastle side are top of the fledgling league table by virtue of having scored more goals than Celtic after winning their opening two matches against Aberdeen and Dundee United.

With Saturday’s visit of Motherwell followed by a trip to Livingston next weekend, McInnes senses an opportunity for his side to maintain their strong start until the break in early September.

“We’ve got a plan for ourselves, we want to try and win these next two games and go that first period before the next international break with maximum points.

“It’s a test for us of course, it’s easy to say. But we feel we’ve got the squad to try and do that, so it’s important that we work towards that.

“We’ve only got to focus now on league duty until the Scottish Cup in January, so we’ll try and deal with that.”

Zander Clark is currently Hearts’ only fit senior goalkeeper, with both Ryan Fulton and Craig Gordon out injured, so unless a new one is recruited before kick-off against Well, one of the club’s two homegrown shot-stoppers will be on the bench.

Harry Stone, 23, was a substitute for last weekend’s Premier Sports Cup defeat at St Mirren while 20-year-old Liam McFarlane is also in contention for a place in the squad after being recalled this week from his loan at Alloa.

“The one thing they don’t have is that real first-team experience at Hearts, but that’s always the hardest bit to get,” McInnes said of the two rookies.

“Obviously every day in training they’ve got an opportunity to impress. Liam trains with us as does Harry every day.

“Liam’s had the benefit of going out on loan this season and it’s been really positive up until now but we felt that it was right to bring him back to provide competition.”

McInnes has braced his side for a Motherwell team that now play with “a total difference in style” under new boss Jens Berthel Askou.

“Previous managers at Motherwell were a bit more cagey, 3-5-2,” said McInnes. “This season, they’re really committed to that possession-based game, with everybody asked to take the ball in tight areas and bring the opposition onto you.

“I think the manager’s clearly done some good work in a short period of time and you’d have to say up until now they’ve done really well.

“We’re going to have to make sure that out of possession we’re in good shape and switched on. In possession, we’re going to have to make sure we try and exploit any spaces that are given to us and try and be as good as we can be.

“We’ve just got to concentrate on what we want to be. I want us to be something this season, regardless of who we’re playing.”