'I wouldn’t say it’s beyond us yet': Hearts boss Neil Critchley not giving up on Europe

Neil Critchley has told his players the only way Hearts can think about getting back into the hunt for a European place through the Premiership is by ensuring they step up and secure their top-six place next weekend.

The Jambos – bottom of the league for much of the first half of the season – still have two routes to continental competition open to them.

One is by finishing in the top five of the league and the other is by winning the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, in which they have a semi-final against Aberdeen coming up.

However, the Tynecastle side slipped eight points adrift of fifth place on Sunday after losing 1-0 at home to resurgent Dundee United, and now face a tense three-way battle with Motherwell – whom they visit on Saturday – and St Mirren to make sure they remain in the top six beyond the split.

“I wouldn’t say it’s beyond us yet,” Critchley said of his side’s European hopes. “It’s obviously harder, but if we can get into the top six then we’ve got to play those teams (Dundee United, Aberdeen and Hibernian), and then we can take points off them.

“It’s not beyond us, but we’ve got to get there first, so our first priority is to go to Motherwell and win next week.

“The positive thing is it’s in our favour (to make top six). We’re not relying on other results. We know if we go there and win, then it’s job done. It’s still in our hands and we have to use that as a positive.

“If we play like we did against Dundee United, with a little bit of better quality (in the final third), then that will give us a good chance.”

In addition to a game-changing red card for teenager James Wilson towards the end of the first half, Hearts were also left to rue poor finishing before Sam Dalby’s 67th-minute winner for United.

Critchley admitted a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal has let his side down at times this season.

“Particularly if you look at some of the games at Tynecastle, when we’ve created lots of opportunities, I’m thinking of the Rangers game at home (in February), Celtic game at home (in November). We’ve created good chances and we haven’t taken them. Goals change games.

“Psychologically, it makes you feel better, it makes the opposition feel obviously worse, or they have to change. It changes the game for everyone.

“Unfortunately, we’ve not capitalised on the moments that we’ve created, not just against Dundee United but in some other games. That’s something for us to keep working on.”