Marian Kello attributes personal form and dressing room unity to Jim Jefferies

Marian Kello is delighted not only that manager Jim Jefferies has persevered with him as Hearts' first-choice goalkeeper, but that Jefferies' return to the club has brought about the end of the cliques among the playing squad which he says had built up under previous managers.

The 28-year-old Slovakian said: "For the old manager I was not number one. I played about 15 games but I had the feeling that one mistake would see me thrown out of the team.

"I feel now more of a confidence with this manager. I know if I'm playing well and I make one mistake he's not going to throw me out of the team. I know if I play well for him I can stay in goal."

"We are more of a family than before," said Kello. "This manager has got us a little bit more together. In the dressing room if you have groups, this never can work out.

"You need one family who are going one way and if there is even one man going the other way it is a problem."

Hearts will bid for a third straight league win at Tynecastle tomorrow, with Jefferies' former team Kilmarnock providing the opposition.

The 1-0 win at Aberdeen and the 3-0 victory over bottom-placed St Mirren - Hearts' first home win of the SPL season - coincided with the return of Marius Zaliukas following injury and a contract wrangle which, it would seem, is now resolved.

Zaliukas has been praised by Jefferies for adding steel to the Hearts defence and Kello said: "He's a very good captain, a leader on the pitch and in the dressing room and if anyone has a problem they can go to him." added Kello.

"We've had two clean sheets in the last two games, we're more settled down and more comfortable in defence as a team."

As well as bidding for a third straight win, Hearts and Kello, in particular, will be seeking a third successive clean sheet at Tynecastle tomorrow.

The Edinburgh club's return to winning ways, following three defeats in four games in addition to a CIS Insurance Cup defeat at First Division Falkirk, has seen them clamber up to fourth place in the table entering this weekend's action and Kello hopes to remain in contention for third place throughout the season after Hearts toiled to make the top six last term.

"We want to stay there and we want results," he said. "It's not going to be easy, we know that.

"It's about us, how we take this opportunity that we have.

"I think we have a good squad and I think we can get the results."

Kello is confident Hearts will prove too strong for an up-and-down Kilmarnock side which has been pulled together on a shoestring by former Hibs player and manager Mixu Paatelainen.

"I think we have a better squad than them and we should show it on the pitch," he said.

"We finally got our first victory at home last weekend and hopefully another is coming on Sunday."