‘Relaxed’ Hearts keeping calm amid Glasgow noise

McInnes’ calmness does not just extend to transfers, but also the knowledge his team deserve to be where they are.

There is no obvious data pointing to over-performance, or a sense of luck.

Hearts have won the most games, scored the most goals, and have the best goal difference.

They have the best home record, the best away record, and the league’s top scorer Lawrence Shankland, who McInnes described as the “best striker in the league”.

Alexandros Kyziridis has the joint-most assists in the Premiership, and Hearts are the biggest threat from set-pieces in the division as well.

They have beaten Celtic and Rangers twice each.

Given the relative weakness of the Old Firm, plus the strength of Motherwell and Hibernian as well, a points total below 80 could conceivably be enough to win the Premiership.

McInnes himself took Aberdeen beyond the 70-point mark consistently while at Aberdeen. It is no wonder the Hearts manager is content.

Who knows how this engrossing season will turn out, but the belief and confidence in Hearts up to this point has been fully justified.

“I want us to meet the expectations of the support here and in time exceed those expectations,” McInnes said.

“Now we’re probably exceeding [those] where we are at the minute. But we’re comfortable with it. I don’t think there’s anybody at Hearts uncomfortable with where we are.

“We’re exactly where we want to be. We’ve been top of the league now for over three months.

“This isn’t just a little run of form. It isn’t just a little spell. It’s something more than that. Something substantial there.”