Steven Naismith will miss Hearts' trip to Arbroath this weekend as he continues to recover from a calf issue.
The veteran forward limped off in the draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle last month and is yet to be passed fit to play.
The Jambos' skipper had been touch and go for last weekend’s win over Ayr United at Tynecastle but didn’t make the squad as Robbie Neilson took no chances with his fitness.
A training return earlier this week had prompted hope Naismith could be ready to return at Gayfield, but the Gorgie boss now admits that seems unlikely as he opts to ease him back to first team action.
"I don't think he will play,” manager Robbie Neilson admitted to the Evening News.
“I doubt he will be ready. We will take a look at him with a view to next week.
“It's still just a wee issue with his calf. He is just getting over it and we need to be careful with him. He had the same thing last summer and in pre-season and was out for a while."
A 15-point lead over second place Dunfermline means Hearts are closing in on the second tier title with just seven games of the shortened campaign remaining.
Back-to-back wins over Dundee and Ayr halted a run of draws in which some sections of the Gorgie faithful had raised issues over the insipid brand of football on display.
But Neilson now appears to have found a winning formula and is confident it can inspire his side to overcome the challenge posed by Dick Campbell's plucky Red Lichties.
"We're doing fine at the moment. I'm quite happy with where we are in the league and we're looking to win every game through to the end of the season," he said.
"There are different challenges every week in this league, Gayfield is one of them. If it's a nice still day then it will be fine but if you go up there and there's any wind at all then it's a different story. We just need to prepare for it and make sure we find a way to win the game.
“It's a tight pitch, the surface will be okay but it's all dependent on the weather. The boys are in good shape and we almost have a full squad to pick from.”
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