Hearts will be missing Beni thrills for longer
HEARTS midfielder Beni Baningime is out for Sunday’s visit of Rangers and faces a race against time to be fit for the New Year derby clash with Hibs.
Baningime was stretchered off in the win over St Mirren last month with a knee problem and the 23-year-old could end up spending over a month on the sidelines.
Hearts are hoping he will be fit for their December 29 match with St Johnstone before they travel to Easter Road five days later.
Boss Robbie Neilson said: “Beni is still going to be another few weeks.
“The aim is to get him back for the game before the derby but I’m not sure if we’ll get him or not.
“Initially we thought he would be all right but the injury hasn’t settled down the way we wanted.
“He has opened his knee up a bit so we won’t risk him because he is too important for us.
“Peter Haring came on and did okay for us last weekend so we have options in midfield.”
Neilson is hoping top scorer Liam Boyce and wing-back Michael Smith will both be available for the weekend’s televised lunch-time showdown against Rangers.
Boyce, who has only just recently returned from a calf strain, was forced off during last Sunday’s victory at Livingston with a hamstring complaint.
Smith also went off with a back issue.
Neilson said: “Boycie did full training on Wednesday with no problems at all.
“He felt his hamstring tighten on Sunday and he’s had calf problems recently as well but he’s fine.
“Michael Smith still hasn’t trained but we are expecting him to do full training on Saturday.”
Neilson’s No.2 Gordon Forrest should be in the dugout on Sunday after a period in isolation but fellow coach Lee McCulloch won’t be back to work until next week.