HEARTS returned to winning ways against Dundee United at Tynecastle this afternoon - and leapfrogged Celtic into second spot in the cinch Premiership table as a result.

Robbie Neilson’s men suffered their first league defeat of the 2021/22 campaign last week when they lost 2-1 to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

But a Ben Woodburn double, an Alex Cochrane strike, a Stephen Kingsley header and a late Aaron McEneff goal ensured they triumphed 5-2 in an entertaining encounter in Gorgie.

Championship champions Hearts are now a point ahead of Celtic and just three points behind leaders Rangers in the top flight table.

The Parkhead club take on Dundee away tomorrow afternoon while their Ibrox rivals host bottom-placed Ross County.

Hearts edged in front in the 22nd minute due to an error by Benjamin Siegrist – the United keeper allowed a Woodburn shot to squirm under his body after the midfielder had been teed up by Cammy Devlin.

It was the Welsh internationalist’s first goal since joining from Liverpool on loan back in August and he celebrated it appropriately.

Devlin was denied by Siegrist four minutes later after being supplied by Josh Ginnelly. But Woodburn pounced on the loose ball and squared to Cochrane. The Brighton loanee made no mistake, rifling into the bottom right corner.

United fought back well. Nicky Clark forced a fine save from Craig Gordon after getting on the end of a dipping Charlie Mulgrew free-kick to the edge of the Hearts six yard box.

The Scotland keeper tipped the goal-bound attempt over his crossbar. Gordon is clearly in good form going into the Qatar 2022 qualifier against Moldova in Chisinau on Friday night.

He could do little, though, to prevent the visitors from pulling one back. Ryan Edwards tried his luck from fully 25 yards out and his speculative effort took a deflection off Kinglsey and spun into the net.

Siegrist atoned for his earlier error when he denied Barrie McKay and then Devlin in quick succession before half-time. Referee John Beaton also ignored a Hearts penalty claim when Ginnelly went down in the United area.

The Tannadice club’s hopes of taking something from the game suffered a blow when Mulgrew failed to reappear for the second-half. The centre half’s place was taken by youngster Kerr Smith.  

Robbie Neilson’s men netted a third in the 51st minute after Taylor Moore laid the ball off to Woodburn just inside the United penalty box. His team mate found the top right corner.

Tam Courts took Declan Glass off and put on Maxime Biamou in his place and his team had soon scored again. Kieran Freeman picked out Clark in acres of space with a cross from the right and the forward headed beyond Gordon.

Hearts restored their two goal lead and in the 76th minute when Kingsley shook off his marker and nodded in a Cochrane free-kick in from close range.

Substitute McEneff sewed up his team’s sixth Premiership win of the season with four minutes of regulation time remaining when he chipped over Siegrist.