Blair Spittal, midfielder for Hearts, states that the team is “thriving” under the pressure of pursuing the club’s first top-flight title in 66 years.
Currently, the Tynecastle side, who are set to face Kilmarnock on Saturday night, holds a five-point lead at the top of the table after finishing in the bottom six last season.
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Spittal, who made the move to Hearts in June 2024, has been impressed by the remarkable turnaround at Tynecastle.
“You can definitely see the strength of the squad we’ve built over the summer,” said the 30-year-old.
“Participating in the League Cup helped us create some momentum heading into the season, and things have been going really well so far. There’s still a lot of football left to play, and we are aware of that.”
“It’s incredible to think of how different things are compared to this time last year. The pressure is unlike what we experienced last season, but it’s a kind of pressure that the boys are enjoying.”
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“I’ve never been in this position before, but everyone in the dressing room is relishing it. As I mentioned, there’s still a lot of football to be played, so we need to stay focused on our tasks.”
Earlier in the season, Hearts secured a 3-0 victory at Rugby Park, but Kilmarnock has been strong at home in the league since Neil McCann and Billy Dodds took over, defeating Aberdeen and St Mirren before narrowly losing to Celtic.
“No matter how Kilmarnock is performing, it’s always a challenging venue,” Spittal noted.
“We understand how tough it will be. While many may focus on their recent result [a 5-1 loss at Falkirk], they had been in great form prior to that.”
“We anticipate the best version of Kilmarnock will show up on Saturday, so we need to deliver our best performance.”