Lawrence Shankland was well and truly back for Hearts at the weekend.
The Jambos striker had looked bereft of confidence in recent weeks but ended a 12-game scoring drought with a double to win the game for his side against Dundee.
It remains to be seen whether he can truly put that miserable run behind him and kick on now, but the smart money would be on him doing so given what he has done over the past two campaigns.
Shankland opened up on the difficult run post-match and also admitted the night in Brugge, where he was the subject of angry fan chanting after missing a penalty, was one of the toughest of his career.
Hearts have been told they are ‘mental‘ not to have a contract offer still on the table for the 29-year-old, who will become a free agent after this season.
For the meantime, the focus for player and club will now be on keeping the form from Saturday going and to try to climb the table.
Shankland will still finish the league’s top scorer
The Dundee double put Lawrence Shankland on three Premiership goals for the season so far and that places him just three behind the leading scorers in the league.
There are a number of players – Callum McGregor, Kyogo, Cyriel Dessers, Vaclav Cerny and Sam Dalby – all tied on six after the weekend’s action.
And Shankland’s former Hearts teammate Andy Halliday has predicted he will finish top of the pile again come the end of the season despite his slow start.
Speaking on Open Goal, he said: “Here is my shout – Shankland will finish top scorer in the league. Callum McGregor is top scorer with six.
“There is something mad like 10 players on five goals.
“I think he’ll finish top scorer. He never started last season well in terms of goal return.
“It was slightly better than this year but he went through a wee seven or eight game spell at the start of last season where he didn’t score.”
Ian Murray was asked for his thoughts on whether the Jambos skipper could do it and added: “He definitely could still. I don’t think he will, but could.”
Hearts now getting the most out of Shankland
In many of the games since taking over as Hearts boss, Neil Critchley has gone with almost a hybrid of 4-4-2 and 4-2-4.
That allows Shankland to play as a central striker with a partner and flanked by two attacking wingers.
The Open Goal panel reckon that is getting the best out of the Scotland star again.
“I think playing up front,” Halliday added. “That’s the bug bear I’ve had with him. He’s not a 10.
“His partner for the first 10 games of the season was Kenny Vargas, playing up front with him (Shankland) behind him.
“So you’ve got a winger, with all due respect to Kenny Vargas, anyone who has seen him – he’s not a finisher.
“Shanks has actually created a lot of chances for him and you want it to be the other way about.”