Gary Mackay-Steven ready to prove Hearts mettle in Edinburgh derby after hand-break horror

The metal in his hand doesn’t make him Iron Man but finding a derby day winner could earn Gary Mackay-Steven superhero status from a fanbase who have seen Hearts soar above capital rivals Hibs in the league standings this term, but have yet to see that translated into derby superiority.

Picking up a hand injury in last month’s draw with Dundee United, he was forced to miss out the next three games but following surgery and a few new internal embellishments which could make passing through airport security more challenging, the 31-year-old winger is back in the squad and hoping to play his part in this afternoon’s derby against Hibs.

“Because of the way I fell I broke the bone in the back of my hand. I needed an operation to get it fixed. I needed a lot of metal work in my hand.

“I have plates and all sorts of metal in there now. It is a bit weird but you get used to it.

“When I knew I needed an operation I was worried but the healing process has gone well and now I can wear a protective thing which helps even more.”

His comeback has taken slightly longer than anticipated but the prospect of back-to-back derbies, today at Tynecastle, in the league, and next weekend, in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup, at a heaving Hampden, proved a powerful incentive.

“I was desperate to be back. Looking at the calendar, at all the games, these ones are the ones I didn’t want to miss. I am happy I have made it just and no more.

“The way I broke it I kinda needed to let the operation knit things together and for the plate to set before I could do stuff. So it was frustrating but it could have been worse. I need to wear a special kind of splint when I come back but I have been wearing it in training and it is not too bad.

“I couldn’t do