Strachan agrees with Laszlo: Hearts games will be important in deciding outcome of league championship

In their 10 remaining games, the Old Firm both have to play the Tynecastle outfit twice. And with Hearts gunning for third spot, they are sure to be tough affairs.

Strachan acknowledges the validity of Laszlo's argument and said: "He is a clever and intelligent man and his opinion is worth listening to. He may have a point."

For now, however, Strachan is only concerned with ensuring his side come right back down to earth from their Co-operative Insurance Cup final success last weekend and focus on facing Dundee United on Sunday.

He explained: "What winning the cup will do for us football-wise, we will never know until they get back on the football field.

"But I can see as the week has gone on that we have got more and more focused. We are nearly there, and we have one more day or so before we play and hope to be spot on by then.

"We all know there will be more twists and turns to come because of the inconsistency throughout the season.

"What we want to try and do now is get a run going. But we have been trying to do that since the start of the season.

"We have had periods when we can do that, and periods when we can't."

He has been forced to rule out Barry Robson for this game as the player's optimism about making a quick recovery from his groin surgery has proved to be mis-placed.

Shaun Maloney is also still sidelined along with Paddy McCourt as both nurse hamstring problems.

But Lee Naylor and Koki Mizuno are back in contention after calf and hamstring injuries respectively, while Willo Flood returns to the squad after being cup-tied last weekend.

Georgios Samaras is in full training after limping out of Hampden on Sunday, but again will have to wait to see if he is selected to start alongside Scott McDonald or if Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is brought back in.

The Dutchman was today cut from the 26-man provisional squad named for Holland's game against Scotland next weekend.