Hearts 0-1 Dundee United: Ross Graham fires winner as pressure mounts on Hearts boss Steven Naismith

Report as Hearts fell to their third straight Scottish Premiership loss of the new season - six in all competitions; Dundee Utd defender Ross Graham struck a fine second-half winner to seal all three points; Hearts enter the international break second-bottom - Dundee Utd rise to third

Sunday 1 September 2024 20:30, UK

Pressure mounted on Steven Naismith after a second-half winner from Dundee United defender Ross Graham consigned beleaguered Hearts to third straight league defeat - and sixth in all competitions.

The increasingly disillusioned Jambos support made their feelings clear towards their manager and the team during and at the end of their 1-0 loss to the in-form Tannadice side.

While newly-promoted United head into the international break third in the league, Hearts have only managed two goals, and won precisely none of their seven matches in all competitions so far this term.

The embattled Naismith made three changes to the side that started Thursday's Europa League play-off defeat by Viktoria Plzen as Blair Spittal, Lawrence Shankland and Yutaro Oda replaced Cammy Devlin, Gerald Taylor and Liam Boyce.

United boss Jim Goodwin sent out the same XI that started the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone the previous weekend.

The visitors had an early opportunity when they won a free-kick wide on the right but Emmanuel Adegboyega sent a free header well wide after getting himself on the end of David Babunski's delivery.

Hearts soon started to zip the ball about with intent and James Penrice went close with a low angled shot from 18 yards that ran just wide of the far post after a slick build-up around the box.

Hearts were enjoying the bulk of the possession in the early stages and Oda threatened in the 17th minute when he fired a powerful shot just over from 25 yards out.

The hosts almost went ahead in the 34th minute when Penrice's shot from the edge of the box was deflected just wide.

United - who had managed to frustrate the home support as the first half wore on - had a couple of good chances early in the second period. Kristijan Trapanovski was denied by an important challenge from Frankie Kent, before Graham headed just over from a Babunski corner.

With the hosts seemingly running out of ideas, United made the breakthrough in the 76th minute when centre-back Graham, who had ventured forward for a set-piece, drilled into Craig Gordon's bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the box.

Naismith insists his job isn't under threat

Asked if he was worried about his position, Hearts manager Steven Naismith, who signed a contract extension just over three weeks ago, said: "No, because if that time comes, that time will come.

"I think I've said before that the moment I feel I don't think I can turn it around, I'll tell the club. It's not something I'll be hanging on to if I do get to that point."

Asked if he was confident he could spark an upturn after the international break, he added: "Yeah, I certainly am.

"I think there's a lot of work to get done and there's a long way to go, but I think we know what it takes.

"There was a period last season where we went on a poor run and the reaction to that was really good, so that does show that it's in the players."