Vrancken prepares Hearts for Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Stenhousemuir

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken is readying his squad for a Friday Premier Sports Cup quarter-final match against Stenhousemuir. Vrancken dismissed concerns regarding the playing surface or stadium environment, insisting that his players must maintain focus and avoid underestimating their opponents. Despite Stenhousemuir holding a top position in the Championship, Vrancken noted that his team must approach the match without complacency. The fixture arrives during a period of heavy scheduling for the club, which Vrancken described as a necessary trade-off for their European league phase qualification. On the personnel front, Oisin McEntee is ruled out with a calf injury, while other players including Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Stephen Kingsley, and Ageu remain sidelined as they recover toward a post-international break return. McEntee could potentially return to the lineup for a league match against Falkirk next week.

• 3:06 PMYahoo Sports — Hearts 'have to be above emotions' as big favourites
• 3:05 PMBBC Football — Hearts 'have to be above emotions' as big favourites in cup
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