Defender Liam Scales was the player who spoke to the press this week.

“Against Hibs we probably had an off day all over the pitch. There was no calmness in our play. Our passes were too rushed and we did not keep the ball well enough. It was an open game but we gave the ball away and were too open. We did not produce much quality. But again we managed to keep a cleansheet and collected a point. We know that if we keep cleansheets our forward players will more often than not score goals and we will win games.

“Playing in a back three allows me to go and attack the ball – to defend aggressively because you have players beside you, Mattie and Angus who will step in and cover me. We have built up a good understanding and worked well as a unit.

“We are a different team to the one who played at Tynecastle last time. A lot has changed since then. We have beaten Hearts at Pittodrie since then, so it is not something that we are thinking about, it is not on our minds.

“Hearts are a very good side at home, they are a top side away from home as well, but they are especially good at Tynecastle. We have been preparing all week and will hopefully be ready for the challenge that we face.

“We just know it is a massive game in the battle for third spot.

“As players, we don’t really think about what is at stake financially.

“We just want to go there and finish third, because it was our aim at the start of the season to finish as close to the top two as we could. If we can finish third by winning on Saturday, then we will have achieved our goal.

“Obviously it is important for the club to make as much money as they can to keep going in the right direction, but as players it is our goal to finish third and give the players who are here next season the opportunity to play European football.

“This is my first season playing regularly in Scotland, and from the start until now I think I have improved a lot and also learned a lot. I have enjoyed it and the dressing room with the lads is great. Obviously we started well and that was enjoyable, but then after the World Cup break we went through a patch that was definitely not enjoyable.

“But you take a lot from that and learn a lot from it, and the last 10 games or so have been brilliant. Keeping clean sheets, winning games and shooting up the table is what every footballer wants to involved in. I have taken so much from this year.

“I really enjoy playing here, and feel that I have got to know the club. I have enjoyed every minute of it.”