First start for Pereira

By PAUL KIDDIE

RAMON PEREIRA is poised to start his first game for Hearts tonight when the Jambos take on Ross County at Victoria Park.

The Spaniard has been toiling with a shin problem during pre-season training, the injury curtailing his involvement to just a couple of substitutes’ appearances since his summer arrival.

However, after coming off the bench in the second half of Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Airdrie at New Broomfield, the former Raith Rovers front-man is ready to step up his bid for match sharpness by starting his first match in a maroon. Boss Levein is set to shuffle his pack for the Dingwall encounter with a trio of first-team stars set to sit out the trip north.

He will be forced to field an under-strength side with goalkeeper Craig Gordon, striker Mark de Vries and centre half Andy Webster all likely to be sidelined.

Although Dutchman De Vries is recovering from a hamstring strain, he is set to miss the Victoria Park clash, Levein instead pencilling him in for this weekend’s glamour friendly against Fulham at Tynecastle.

Gordon is also on the mend after suffering a recurrence of a thigh strain but he is not expected to return to training until tomorrow.

Webster tweaked a hamstring in training and will also sit out this evening’s encounter with the Scotland man hoping to be fit to return against the visitors from the English Premiership on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Levein’s bid to bring Michael Stewart to Tynecastle on loan remains in limbo. The Gorgie boss is keen to secure the 23-year-old’s services from Manchester United but the financial element of any deal - Hearts are unable to afford to pay any of his wages - remains a major stumbling block.

"I think he is quite keen on a move to Scotland. He was a Hearts supporter as a boy and being there would give him the chance to be back home with his family," said Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson. "But we will have to hear what they propose before we can come to an agreement."

In a move unrelated to the Stewart saga, Ferguson has paid £50,000 in compensation to Hearts after swooping for 16-year-old Gorgie starlet David Gray. Involved with the Tynecastle youth development set-up since the age of 12, Rosslyn’s Gray has signed a four-year deal with the Premiership giants.

"We had David with us since he was 12 and have worked hard on his development but the fact is he wanted to join Manchester United," said Levein.

"Naturally I am disappointed to lose a talented young player but we can’t stand in his way and at least we have received a level of funding which helps us in those areas."

Taken from the Scotsman