Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has played down concerns over Hearts' slow start under new boss Wouter Vrancken, insisting the Tynecastle side remains a formidable opponent.
The Jambos suffered a Champions League qualifying exit to Sturm Graz and a late collapse at Aberdeen in their Premiership opener, but Goodwin believes their struggles are temporary.
Goodwin's Perspective on Hearts' Start
Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip to Tynecastle, Goodwin said: "Hearts have had a change of manager and it takes a bit of time to change the style."
He added: "The way he wants to play in comparison to the way Derek McInnes set his team up is different and that can take a little bit of time for the players to understand that."
Goodwin noted that Hearts have been "a little bit unlucky" and are missing key players through injury, but stressed: "They are still a very, very good team."
United's Challenge at Tynecastle
The United boss expects a tough test, saying: "Tynecastle is always a difficult away game - it's one of the best games in the league when you go there."
He urged his side to replicate their performance in the opening-day draw with Rangers, where Lachlan Rose scored, stating: "We will have to replicate the performance that we put in against Rangers."
European Demands and Squad Depth
Goodwin also addressed Hearts' European commitments, noting their squad size should help them cope with the Thursday-Sunday schedule.
He said: "Hearts have a really big squad and if you're going to compete in Europe as well as domestically then you need to have a large squad to deal with that."
He contrasted this with United's own struggles last season, adding: "It's something we struggled with last year because we didn't have the numbers in the building."
Goodwin acknowledged the difficulty of travel, saying: "But I'd be lying if I didn't say that travelling is difficult."
He hopes Hearts can spring a surprise against Benfica, stating: "We'll be wishing Hearts well in that because we want the Scottish teams to do well in Europe."
