Heart of Midlothian have suffered a major setback with the confirmation that left-back Harry Milne has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Head coach Wouter Vrancken confirmed the diagnosis for the 29-year-old, who picked up the problem during a training session as the Tynecastle side prepared for last Thursday's Conference League away loss against Trabzonspor.
Milne has been an integral figure for Hearts over the past year, having earned a selection in the PFA Scotland Premiership team of the year last season before being named one of the club's vice-captains by Vrancken in July. Commenting on the injury, Vrancken said: "Harry is unfortunate, with his season finished. It was an ACL, as I expected. There was a bit of hope, but now it's just unlucky for him. It was hard for him, but he has made peace with it."
The defender's absence further deepens a severe injury crisis, leaving Hearts without eight first-team players for Wednesday's home fixture against Rangers. Fellow defenders Christian Borchgrevink and Stuart Findlay both face extended periods on the sidelines. Meanwhile, the Belgian manager expects midfielder Blair Spittal to return before Christmas, but admitted "it's difficult to see" Tom Renaud back by that time. Despite coping with a depleted group on Sunday, Hearts still managed to grind out a hard-fought 2-0 away win over Motherwell.
Hearts will keep an unchanged squad for the visit of Rangers, which sees manager Derek McInnes return following his exit from Hearts in June. Hearts are aiming to narrow the four-point deficit between themselves and second-top Rangers, with Vrancken demanding total concentration from his available squad. "We have the same focus as we've had on a few occasions already this season," the manager added. "Focus on what you have to do on the pitch, because we want to win the game and get the result, even with the injuries. We want good confidence with the players on the pitch and in the squad and to keep the belief there. Negative emotions, or emotions in general, that are not focused on what we have to do, don't bring anything extra to the game. There's always noise you have to block out or avoid."