What do late goals tell us about McInnes' Hearts?

Cynics may say Hearts leaving it late in their last three Premiership games is starting slowly, others may argue it's a sign of character.

But what does the side's character tell us about this team under Derek McInnes?

Substitute Alexandros Kyziridis scored an injury-time winner on Saturday to snatch three points against Livingston. The previous week, Hearts had to fight from 3-0 down against Motherwell at Tynecastle to seal a 3-3 draw and in their second game of the season it was Stuart Finlay's 94th-minute header that bagged the victory against Dundee United.

"Hearts have showed a lot of class, hard work, a big time work ethic," BBC chief sportswriter Tom English told Sportsound after the final whistle went on Saturday afternoon but at half-time it was a very different story.

Watch Sportscene highlights of Livingston v Hearts

30/08/2025

When the players headed down the tunnel after 45 minutes, Livingston were good value for their 1-0 lead.

Yet again, it was an underwhelming first 45 from McInnes' side who, apart from an early Claudio Braga chance, offered very little. But, like at Tynecastle against Motherwell last week, it was a different side who came out the traps for the second half.

McInnes' decision to bring on Kyziridis at the break proved inspired when the winger set up Braga for the first, and got on the scoresheet himself, for the second.

And former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart was full of praise for the new boss.

"Hearts have got substance and he's a manager of substance as well," Stewart told Sportsound.

"They've got results so far in large parts, not through the quality of the players that have been brought on, but it's through guts and determination and hard work and will. That for me comes down to having a leader who knows what they're doing and has a clear message."

But just how sustainable is Hearts' reliance on their second-half form?

The schedule is going to get busier and there will likely be games in which they simply cannot afford to leave it until the second half to get themselves into the game.

However, it's still early in the season and there's players who joined this summer yet to find their groove in Scotland - if Hearts can find a way to start games in equally good form, English thinks they could be a real threat.

"Hearts have got to get this intensity from the start," he added on Sportsound.

"The intensity and the energy that they've had in the second half has been outstanding.

"Once they hit on the formation that works, they're going to be a danger."