Lawrence Shankland insists Hearts excuses won't wash as striker makes 'must do better' admission

The excuses may be piling up just like the missed chances which cost Hearts so dearly against Aberdeen on Sunday.

But Lawrence Shankland insists none of them will wash as the freefalling Jambos look to arrest the slide starting against Celtic on Saturday. A hectic schedule of domestic and European fixtures is beginning to take its toll on Robbie Neilson’s side with an injury list now in double figures coinciding with a run that’s seen them lose four and draw one of their last five outings.

Key figures including Craig Halkett, Kye Rowles, Liam Boyce, Beni Baningime, Nat Atkinson and Michael Smith missed the trip north while Andy Halliday and Peter Haring hobbled off to add to the woes. Throw in the fact their return from Thursday’s Europa League thrashing to Fiorentina in Italy gave no time to iron out issues on the training ground before they were back on the road to Pittodrie on Sunday means the Jambos management could be excused for using diversion tactics to explain their deteriorating form.

But Shankland says that won’t be the case as they focus on conversions and not diversions to turn their fortunes around after slipping to seventh. The frustrated Jambo said: “It’s only October, it’s hardly a disaster but things aren’t going the way we want them to just now.

“You can always turn things around, that’s just the way football is. We need to get over this, get it out of the way and move onto Celtic next week and make sure we are ready to go.

“It’s mad, I think there are 11 first team members out now, which obviously doesn’t help. But we can’t use it as an excuse.

“There is enough out there to go and win football matches and the ones who are fit need to dig in and do what we can to win. The week will give us a week