Danny Swanson insists St Johnstone will have to replicate the defensive tightness and physicality they showed against Aberdeen at the weekend when they play Hearts in the Betfred Cup tonight.
The goal-less Premiership draw with the Dons was certainly not one for the purists but the 29-year-old admitted he enjoyed the challenge.
And now, he is looking forward to a similar imposing test against his former club Hearts.
Swanson said: “The Aberdeen game wasn’t pretty and I had a few texts from my mates saying it wasn’t the best match.
“But I quite enjoyed it and it was good to be involved in – it was a pretty physical game.
“I think in the end, both teams were happy with a draw.
“I don’t think anybody wanted to lose it and that probably showed.
“You can see Aberdeen are a very physical team and I think we dealt with it absolutely fine.
“I was very impressed with our defence. Looking along the backline, we are not huge but we competed for every ball and that was massive for us.
“Hearts are also a very physical team. Big Conor Sammon up front is a handful and all over the park, they are a big team.
“But we will deal with it again and I don’t think they will enjoy coming to McDiarmid – not many teams do.
“It is a hard draw for the first round after the groups but we will be confident we can get through.
“If we do, we are into the quarters and who knows from there?
“There are a few so-called lesser teams still in it.”
The new format of the League Cup with early group stages has been met with mixed reviews but Swanson for one is a big fan.
He added: “I have enjoyed the tournament so far. It has been a breath of fresh air.
“I think a lot of people are against it but I’m not.
“It’s good to get the early competitive games and to come up against teams that we don’t play every year.
“I have quite liked going to Elgin where I hadn’t played at since I had been with Berwick. It was nice for a change.”
Swanson’s St Johnstone career began with a loan spell when he was at Coventry, who he left to join Hearts.
However, he only stayed at Tynecastle for five months before rejoining Saints but the player insists he has no regrets about his short-lived spell with the Jambos.
Swanson added: “I enjoy playing against Hearts.
“It just never worked out for me when I was there but I don’t regret going and giving it a bash.
“I never really got a run in the team, to be honest.
“But the manager makes the decision in the end and I didn’t play.
“I am not worried about it, these things happen. I don’t have anything to prove in Scotland.
“It didn’t work out at Coventry either but I am back at St Johnstone and I am happy with the way I am playing and the team I am at.”
