Four days before hosting Celtic at Tynecastle Daniel Stendel watched Hearts lose 1-0 to St Johnstone.
The former Barnsley boss was appointed as Craig Leven’s successor in midweek but finds his new club sitting in joint bottom place alongside Hamilton Accies with a home record of one win from eight matches.
A new manager bounce was anticipated at Tynecastle but after a goal-less first half Callum Hendry scored for the visitors in the 74th minute with little sign of improvement from the home side.
Hearts were unable to respond to that set-back allowing St Johnstone to take full points and lift themselves three points clear of the Edinburgh side.
Steven Naismith missed today’s match through injury and is expected to sit out the visit from Celtic which Bobby Madden will referee.
Elsewhere in the SPFL Premiership Aberdeen beat Hamilton 1-0 to leapfrog over Motherwell into third place, Ross County beat Kilmarnock 1-0 while St Mirren drew 3-3 at home to Livingston.
