Hearts players will be aiming to get back to winning ways quickly after their draw with Livingston, to avoid creating more pressure on themselves and helping others gain title momentum, according to former Premiership striker Cillian Sheridan.
Last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Almondvale saw the team move back to the top of the Premiership table after being briefly displaced by Rangers but the result was seen as two points dropped as both the Ibrox side and Celtic won their games to tighten things at the top.
Speaking to theBBC Scottish Football Podcast, Sheridan said that the Tynecastle side would have their focus on three points at home against Motherwell this weekend to make sure they keep the slender advantage they have and to keep the pressure on those chasing them.
"I think they'll definitely be disappointed from the Livingston game," he said.
"I think they initially responded well after going a goal down and it probably looked like it was a matter of time before they were going to get an equaliser and then go on and win the game. They didn't.
"Celtic then winning after them, then the whole fixture stuff [with the schedule giving Hearts a final match at Celtic Park in May] happens and then all the pressure ramps up again.
"I think having a little bit more of a cushion would have probably helped, helped Hearts in that regard. I think they'll definitely be looking to bounce back.
"I think it's big for Hearts to get a good, fast start over these next two or three games and to kind of keep that little cushion that they have. The last thing I think they'd want to do is get dragged into a thing where they bring Celtic back into it when Rangers are in it with them already.
"As we've seen all season and now obviously with every match that goes by, that cushion will disappear for Hearts.
"So I think it's just ramping up for them and it's something new for them, for the players, for the manager, for the club at the minute. I would imagine it's all very exciting there."
