Levein: Michael is not a miracle worker

HEARTS boss Craig Levein today urged Jambos not to expect miracles from on-loan Manchester United midfielder Michael Stewart.

Stewart started his first competitive match of the season at Dunfermline on Sunday but was largely anonymous as the Jambos went down 1-0 at East End Park.

Levein admits Stewart was not as impressive as he would have liked but, with so many changes made to the team in the wake of last week’s UEFA Cup win over SC Braga, he feels it would be unfair to judge the playmaker on a solitary start.

And he also feels the 23-year-old suffers from the weight of expectation which goes with the United tag.

He said: "The problem for Michael is that, coming from Manchester United, everyone expects miracles.

"But people have to realise he’s only played 20 or 25 first-team matches in his life. It’s not like he has come here with a whole lot of experience under his belt.

"On Sunday I actually thought he was a bit brighter than he has been in the other matches he’s played for us.

"It wasn’t as if I put him in alongside the rest of the established players. It was a new-look midfield and the team as a whole was not used to playing together in the SPL.

"Michael didn’t have the regular strikers in front of him while behind him the experience wasn’t there in defence to give him a solid base.

"In saying all that it was an opportunity for him to come in and play a first-team match and I was hoping he would respond. There are a lot of reasons why Michael hasn’t quite made an impression yet but it will take time."

Stewart is set to return to the substitutes’ bench for tomorrow night’s CIS Cup tie with Kilmarnock as Levein welcomes his big guns back to the first-team fray.

Paul Hartley and Patrick Kisnorbo should regain their central midfield berths while up front Mark de Vries is a certainty to return - with Ramon Pereira and Graham Weir also edging into the fray.

Skipper Steven Pressley will be back in his usual place at centre-half while Alan Maybury will also take to the field at full-back.

Levein continued: "We had a few problems for Sunday’s game and I also rested a few players but the plan was always to have everybody refreshed for the Kilmarnock game. Elvis [Pressley] and Mark are both fit again while Paul and Patrick will return in midfield.

"Michael might find himself out of the team again but Hartley and Kisnorbo deserve their places for their recent performances - how could I leave them out?"

Phil Stamp has been feeling the effects of a groin strain after his outing as a striker on Dunfermline’s plastic pitch and could miss out.

Levein added: "Phil’s feeling a bit sore but with Mark coming back, we’ll at least have he and Dennis to play up front.

"Other than that I’m also hoping to have one of Pereira and Weir back so we should have options."

Taken from the Scotsman