St Johnstone suffered a 2-1 Premiership defeat at Tynecastle against Hearts, a result overshadowed by a serious injury to the home side's summer signing. The Edinburgh News reported that Hearts midfielder Tom Renaud faces months on the sidelines after damaging his ankle in the first half of the contest.
How did the match unfold?
Hearts took the lead through a James Wilson goal before an Enes Alic own goal doubled their advantage. St Johnstone's Ruari Paton pulled one back for the Perthshire side, but Hearts held on for a narrow victory. The match came after a demanding 120-minute European tie against Rapid Vienna, which Hearts won on penalties to qualify for the Conference League league phase. Wouter Vrancken, the Hearts head coach, acknowledged his team's performance. "Good first half, decent first half, let's say, where we have to score more goals," he said.
What is the extent of Tom Renaud's injury?
Tom Renaud, a midfielder signed from FC Versailles this summer, was forced off in the first half with an ankle injury. Vrancken provided a grim update after the scan results. "It's not good. It will not be weeks, it will be months, but I can't give the explanation," the manager stated. The injury timeline puts Renaud's availability for the rest of the year in serious doubt and may prompt Hearts to look at the transfer market for a replacement. The club must also decide whether to include or exclude him from their European squad list by Wednesday night.
What is St Johnstone's current league position?
The loss leaves St Johnstone in ninth place in the Scottish Premiership. They have three points from three games, with a record of one win and two losses. Their goal difference stands at minus one, having scored five and conceded six so far this season. They are already six points behind early leaders Celtic. Fans can track the team's progress on our standings page throughout the campaign.
Who else missed the match for Hearts?
Hearts defender Jamie McCart was absent from the squad due to calf tightness picked up in the midweek European victory. Vrancken expects McCart to be ready for the upcoming Edinburgh derby against Hibernian on Thursday. The quick turnaround presents a challenge, with just two days of rest between the St Johnstone game and the derby clash. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on our fixtures page.
St Johnstone's next opportunity to improve their league position comes at home against Dundee United on October 17th. United currently sit one place above them in eighth.
