| The regular Hearts' injury jinx has struck again ahead of the derby with JJ admitting that Jose Goncalves, Ryan Stevenson, Calum Elliot and Arvydas Novikovas were all doubts for Saturday. There was hope that there was some light at the end of the injury tunnel with the news that Andrew Driver, Craig Thomson and Scott Robinson were just about ready to return to action from long-term knee problems. But it could end up being three in, four out for Hearts this weekend. Defender Goncalves is nursing what Jefferies believes to be a thigh strain. JJ said this morning: "He's going to train with us this morning and do the warm-up only. We think he might be all right but, right now, it's too early to say. Stevenson's not trained all week and he's got a knock. He'll do the warm-up this morning, then we'll see if there's any reaction." Striker Elliot, meanwhile, has suffered a recurrence of his troublesome knee injury, and Novikovas has yet to train this week after going down with a virus. Hearts are already without Ruben Palazuelos, Ian Black, Ismael Bouzid, Michael Stewart, Marian Kello, Marius Zaliukas and Ryan Wallace. And Jefferies admitted he may be forced to start one or more of Driver, Thomson and Robinson against Hibs. He said: "You're throwing them into the derby when they've not played for a long time. But if the injuries pick up any more, they might have to play." |