Injuries to Findlay, Ageu & Gordon hit Hearts

Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts will be without key defender Stuart Findlay for six weeks while record signing Eduardo Ageu will miss the rest of the season.

Head coach Derek McInnes also confirmed goalkeeper Craig Gordon’s shoulder injury could keep him out of Scotland’s March friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast.

Findlay, 30, has been a pivotal figure for the league leaders having started all 28 Premiership matches in the middle of defence, but was forced off in the win over Falkirk with a hamstring injury.

Brazilian midfielder Ageu made the first start of an injury-hit debut season against Rangers at Ibrox, but was taken off and will now be sidelined until next season because he needs thigh surgery.

Gordon has also played limited minutes for Hearts this term, but is one of Scotland’s key players as they prepare for a first World Cup finals since 1998.

Beni Baningime, Oisin McEntee and Sabah Kerjota also have knocks but still have a chance of playing against Aberdeen on Saturday as Hearts chase a first league title since 1960.

McInnes says he hopes Findlay and captain Lawrence Shankland, who has been missing since 17 January with a hamstring injury, will be back for the final pre-split game against Motherwell on 11 April.

Another key figure, midfielder Cammy Devlin, is due back in “two or three weeks” according to McInnes, as is defender Stephen Kingsley.

Hearts are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership.

“As it stands we had 11 players unavailable to train today, but we’ve still got enough to train and put a strong team out and a strong squad out on Saturday,” McInnes said.

“So my focus is the ones that are available, and just trying to get one or two who are in the 50-50 category available for the weekend.

“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself, easy to think: ‘why us? why me?’ But it’s unrealistic to go through a full campaign [without injuries].

“It’s a league for as reason, you have to go through these different tests and challenges.

“There’s no doubt we’re getting challenged at the minute. Once we get through the next four games we will ideally be a bit stronger going into the final run in.

“It will almost feel like a transfer window opening up in April. So you’ve got to take the good with the bad.”

Midfielder McEntee went to see a specialist on Wednesday morning for a shoulder issue after a scan revealed “fairly positive” news.

Baningime has some bruising on his lower leg and McInnes says the midfielder is hopeful he can train on Friday and feature at Tynecastle against Aberdeen.

Kerjota, meanwhile, picked up a hip strain in a closed door friendly against Dundee on Tuesday but may well be fit to play too.