Levein hopeful midfielder will be fit in time for clash with Celtic

Hearts manager Craig Levein says Peter Haring is winning his fitness battle to face Celtic in Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final.

The Austrian has sat out the Premiership leader’s last two matches with a muscle strain that is linked to a hernia complaint that will eventually require an operation.

Signed as a centreback from SV Ried in the summer, the 25-year-old has gone on to establish himself as a central midfielder and has formed a productive partnership in the middle of the park with Olly Lee.

Haring has scored five goals in 14 games and Levein, whose team will train at Murrayfield this morning in preparation for the last four tie at the home of Scottish Rugby, is keen to have the player available for the match against the double treble winners.

Levein said: “He is looking okay for Sunday. It would be a big boost to get him back but Harry Cochrane came in on Tuesday at Dundee, Olly Lee has been great, Oliver Bozanic did well in the last couple of games and Arnaud Djoum is getting back to his best.

“Peter is improving and there was part of me that wanted to push him to play in the Dundee game (on Tuesday).

“Sometimes you can play with ankle knocks or ankle ligament injuries when you strap them up and not make them any worse.

“But if you push too hard on a muscle injury it can break down so we are being very careful. But Peter is a great boy and he desperately wants to play.”

Haring was sidelined for the recent victories over Aberdeen and Dundee and Levein is hoping the playmaker can continue to play through the pain between now and the end of December.

The Jambos boss wants the Austrian to make it through to the three-week January break before having surgery.

He added: “The muscle injury is a result of his hernia and his hernia needs operated on.

“The plan is to get him through to January. I don’t know if that is possible but we will try.”

Peter Haring faces surgery later in the year