Crocked Stamp may play

MARK BONTHRONE

HEARTS star Phil Stamp may have to play through the pain barrier in this Saturday’s crunch Euro showdown with Dunfermline.

The former Middlesbrough player is currently receiving treatment for a knee injury but with boss Craig Levein set to be without four first team players for the trip to East End Park the Englishman may prove too important to be without.

Levein confirmed today that Mark de Vries and Paul Hartley will miss the game as the Jambos look to stretch their lead in third spot to 12 points.

With Scott Severin and Steven Boyack already missing Stamp could feature despite not being fully fit. He will be given every opportunity to prove his readiness for the clash with a last-minute decision likely to be made but Levein admitted that with several other players out it was even more important for the combative midfielder to feature.

"De Vries and Hartley definitely won’t make it," the Tynecastle boss revealed. "Paul has a groin problem while Mark is struggling with a calf injury. It’s not ideal going into a game like this but it’s just one of those things.

"I’m not sure of the extent of either injury yet but Paul is suspended for the following game regardless. We will have a better idea in the coming days.

"I’m more hopeful about Phil and he is receiving treatment at the moment to try and solve the problem.

"We have four recognised first-team players definitely out of the game already so we would obviously be keen to have Phil available for the game as he is a very important player for us."

Meanwhile, Levein has revealed that the fact his players have already experienced Dunfermline’s artificial surface once this season should stand them in good stead for the weekend.

The Jambos lost 2-1 in Fife at the start of December despite turning in one of their best performances of the season and while the pitch may have held fears for some players first time round he insists there will be no such problem on Saturday.

"The fact we have played there already will help a bit," he said.

"I thought we actually played very well there on our last visit and were quite unlucky. If we can play in a similar way I would be happy. We certainly aren’t worried at all about the pitch."

Taken from the Scotsman