WE’LL PLAY AT HAMPDEN OR MURRAYFIELD, SAYS LEVEIN

HEARTS boss Craig Levein last night insisted he does not care if his side’s Betfred Cup semi-final against Celtic next month is played at Hampden or Murrayfield. Both halves of the Old Firm are on Europa League duty on the Thursday night before the semi-final dates on October 27 and 28. The Glasgow giants were kept apart in the last four draw and that means both semis could be staged on the Sunday — with one at the home of Scottish Rugby. Hearts played some ‘home’ games last season at Murrayfield but the Tynecastle boss insists he has no preference whether the tie is staged in Glasgow or Edinburgh. ‘I just tried to phone Peter Lawwell there but I think his phone was engaged,’ grinned Levein after a thrilling 4-2 quarter-final home victory over Motherwell. ‘Does it matter if it’s at Murrayfield? Listen we will play wherever we have to play. It’s not going to be a home tie for anyone. So wherever we play we will play. ‘What do I think about the draw? I’m honestly not bothered. I looked at it and I thought what’s the point. There are three really good teams left and, for me, it’s about getting through to the semi-finals. Then we can think about Hampden — or wherever it is going to be.’ But Levein warned his side need a repeat of this performance if they are to take a step closer to lifting a first League Cup since 1962. ‘Can we win silverware this season? You are always hopeful. But I think we will need another performance like tonight if we are to get through the semi-final,’ Levein added. ‘It was brilliant tonight. What a game of football. I loved it! We could have scored more.’ Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson hopes his side’s valiant performance can spark their season into life at Kilmarnock on Saturday. He said: ‘When you score two cracking goals away from home you expect to come away with a result. But we lost to a very good side. But we looked more like ourselves tonight and, if we keep playing like that, we will start to climb the table. ‘Steven Naismith was a class above tonight for Hearts. He made the difference because he has that extra bit of quality. ‘Perhaps that’s what we’re missing because our budget dictates we are about hard work and endeavour. ‘But I’m confident that we can use this night as a catalyst to move on.’