Hearts aiming for their highest top-flight points total since securing a Champions League qualifying place

Should Hearts leave Rugby Park with three points on Saturday, they will face four relatively meaningless league matches before the 2023/24 Premiership season ends. The Edinburgh club will have secured third place and guaranteed European league-stage football and will then have four games in which they could take it easy.

Chances of them doing so are slim. Coaching staff have already identified different ways of maintaining motivation should they find themselves confirmed in third spot with four games remaining. One is a specific points total. Hearts currently have 62 points in the Premiership table, 11 more than fourth-placed Kilmarnock who they meet at Rugby Park on Saturday. Eight more from the 15 still available would see them reach one of head coach Steven Naismith’s aims.

Not since 2006 have the Tynecastle side reached the 70-point mark in Scotland’s top flight. They finished on 74 that season as an exhilarating and dramatic campaign saw them secure second place and a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds under Lithuanian head coach Valdas Ivanuaskas. Robbie Neilson guided Hearts to an impressive 91 points in season 2014/15, although that was in the second tier.

“As it stands just now, it’s not done,” stressed winger Alan Forrest. “Kilmarnock are still pushing and might think they have a chance, so they will be well up for this game. We can’t say the season is done because we need to focus on this game. Even if we get a result, we aren’t the type to take our foot off the gas. The manager has given us an aim to hit that 70-point mark so, even if the games didn’t mean anything, you are still playing for Hearts and want to win every game.

“It’s important we bounce back from last week [losing to Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-finals]. This is a great game for us. It’s in our hands. If we win then that’s third place so it’s a good one for us to try and get a win. We know Kilmarnock have been there or thereabouts all season so it won’t be an easy game. Even the times we won down there, it was tough games. We know we need to be ready but we have won there twice this season so we will look to win again.”

Forrest has enjoyed his most productive campaign so far with Hearts. He has 38 appearances to date, three goals and a handful of assists. In a competitive squad where up to eight team-mates can play in his position, he has amassed a good amount of game time in what is looking like a successful year.

“This season has got to be up there as one of my best,” said the player. “I’ve played quite a number of games and managed to chip in to help the team. I’d like to have done better in the cups. We got to two semi-finals but I think it shows how far we have come that we are feeling disappointment after the Rangers game. We are looking to not just get to semi-finals but to beat the likes of Rangers and Celtic.

“Third isn’t done yet, we need to get a result on Saturday. If we manage to do that, I think that would be the best season. In my first year here, we were in Europe and if we manage to get that next season, balance it and do well in the league while going far in Europe, that’s obviously the next aim. Then we can look to go one better in cups.”

Naismith explained his view on pushing for the 70-point mark. “I think we can hit 70 points, that's something we have talked about,” said the head coach. “I'm not going to make it a target but I think it's realistic that we could do it. Being in football for 20 years, there are not many times when you can get a good month where you can just play with freedom, enjoyment and no pressure. We've got to enjoy that but with us being a driven group you will still have those targets.

“It's not about trying to drive every last ounce out of the players at this moment, it's about enjoying being comfortable and trying to get that freedom when you play. Then you can try risky passes and try some of the danger things we want to do and get to where it's comfortable. You also look at the squad and, if anybody is carrying wee niggles, you can effectively give them time to make sure they are healing. We have a drive, I think 70 points is reasonable and realistic.”

Forrest admitted Hearts took some time to overcome the disappointment of Sunday’s cup defeat in Glasgow. “Everybody felt flat after the game, especially with Rangers’ dip in form. That was a chance for us. We lose a goal which gives us a mountain to climb but I think we reacted well. There were moments in the game where we had chances and could have chosen the better option.

“The way the game panned out, it didn’t happen. We felt flat for the next couple of days. We came into training, the manager had a meeting and said it’s behind us now. As hard as it is, you need to just look forward to the next game. You are kind of waiting and itching for the next game to come round.”