Jamie Walker fitness boost for Hearts

Hearts could have Jamie Walker back in two weeks after the midfielder underwent successful knee surgery.

Midfielder Walker has been out for two months with a knee problem that had troubled him throughout the season and caused him to be used sparingly before his lay-off began.

Hearts feared he could have been out for another two months after the problem was diagnosed as a floating piece of bone but an operation on Wednesday has allowed the 22-year-old to plan his comeback in January.

Head coach Robbie Neilson said: Walker is two or three weeks away.

We originally thought it would be four to eight weeks possibly but he got surgery yesterday and it was just a case of in and out. The surgeon was really happy with it.

So it's just a case of letting the scar heal now and he will be back in to start his rehab.

It's great for us that we are going to get a player of his calibre back because I think we have missed him.

He's got creativity and is one of our top players so to get him back during the January period gives us a good chance to get him fit and get him back for the rest of the season.''

Callum Paterson is back training after missing the 3-2 win over Premiership bottom club Dundee United on Wednesday night with a knock and could face Kilmarnock on Saturday at Rugby Park.

Neilson said: Down there on the astroturf suits a lot of our players. We have the astorturf at the academy that we train on quite a lot.

We select a team that I believe will be the one that can win the game. Certain players enjoy playing on the astro and some players don't, so that will influence how we pick the team.''