STEVEN Pressley will return to Hearts this weekend for the first time since his acrimonious exit last month.

Pressley left Tynecastle in early December after criticising the board, but goalkeeper Craig Gordon has revealed that the Celtic defender continues to have an influence at Tynecastle.

"He is still a friend," said Gordon. "I have spoken to him a few times after I was made captain and he did give me a bit of advice. That's great he left the club but he's still willing to help the players he has left behind.

"That just shows the measure of the guy. He was a great captain and if I can be half as successful as he was as Hearts captain I'll be delighted."

In light of the implosion at Ibrox over foreign players versus Scots, Gordon again insisted there is no animosity at Tynecastle between the nine Lithuanian and the Scots.

"We have brought in a fair few Lithuanians over the last number of months and most of them have done fairly well for us," said the Hearts and Scotland goalkeeper.

"Marius Zaliukas at centre-half has formed a good partnership with Christophe Berra.

"Andrius Velicka is the top scorer for us. So as long as we are bringing in quality Lithuanians I don't see a problem with that.

"It has been said that we have to bring in quality rather than quantity - that is something that we have to concentrate on.

"Marius has been playing consistently for the last three or four games.

"We have kept three or four clean sheets over the last month so things are starting to look a bit better on the defensive side of things and hopefully that can continue."