Aberdeen's next Scottish Premiership fixture on Saturday pits them against a Hearts side still smarting from consecutive defeats to Celtic last week.

The Dons defeated bottom side Dundee United in their last league outing, while Hearts suffered a 3-0 reverse at home to Celtic in the Scottish Cup on Saturday, three days after losing to the same opposition in the league.

Match preview

Barry Robson has put forward a strong case for his bid to become Aberdeen's permanent manager with a third victory in four games a fortnight ago.

When Robson was appointed at the end of January after the dismissal of Jim Goodwin, Aberdeen were in the bottom half of the table with a double-digit gap to Hearts in third - yet, if the Dons can claim a victory on Saturday, they would move to within four points of their lofty visitors.

Seven minutes into Robson's reign as caretaker boss, Ross McCrorie was sent off at the start of what would end as a 3-1 reverse at home to St Mirren, but Aberdeen have emphatically kicked on after that false start.

McCrorie scored the goal to put Aberdeen in front against a Dundee United side managed by former Dons boss Goodwin two weeks ago, helping to end the club's seven-game losing run away from home.

Pittodrie has proven to be a much more hospitable venue for the Dons; Aberdeen boast the fourth-best home record in the Premiership and only Celtic and Rangers have a better goal difference in front of their own fans this season.

Hearts have not fared as well on the road; winning just one of their last seven away league matches - the capital club are one of just three Premiership teams yet to win on their travels in 2023.

Robbie Neilson's side put in an impressive performance in Glasgow against Celtic last midweek, taking the lead through Josh Ginnelly before the reigning champions roared back to win 3-1.

However, Hearts were comfortably beaten 3-0 when the two clubs reconvened at Tynecastle last Saturday, falling behind to Aaron Mooy's second-minute opener as Celtic swamped and swarmed the Gorgie boys with a suffocating display.

Hearts were not the first and nor will they be the last team to get turned over by Celtic, but Neilson's side must rapidly regroup if they are to fend off the challenge from Aberdeen and city rivals Hibernian for third spot with just 10 games of the season left.

Aberdeen were thumped 5-0 when they last faced Hearts in January, but the Dons have not lost at home to the capital club since 2016, winning the last six matches between the pair at Pittodrie.

Team News

Aberdeen have been without first-choice goalkeeper Kelle Roos since January, conceding 20 goals in the seven league games he has missed with a hamstring injury that is set to sideline the 30-year-old until April.

Academy product Connor Barron is also a doubt while he nurses a groin problem that has limited his playing time in the past month.

Hearts were missing eight first-team players against Celtic last weekend; Craig Gordon (leg), Gary Mackay-Steven (foot) and Craig Halkett (knee) are set to remain sidelined this weekend and beyond.

Beni Baningime and Liam Boyce are targeting returns next month, while Peter Haring is being tentatively eased back into training after a severe concussion.

Despite Neilson's assurances, Robert Snodgrass was not fit enough to appear in either game against Celtic, but the former Premier League regular is on the cusp of recovering, joining Stephen Humphrys and top scorer Lawrence Shankland on the shortlist of potential returnees for Saturday's trip to Pittodrie.

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Gorter; McCrorie, MacDonald, Pollock, MacKenzie; Shinnie, Clarkson, Ramadani; Duncan, Miovski, Duk

Hearts possible starting lineup:
Clark; Hill, Rowles, Sibbick; Smith, Halliday, Grant, Kiomourtzoglou, Kingsley; Ginnelly, McKay

We say: Aberdeen 1-2 Hearts

The uptick in form Robson has been able to coax out of Aberdeen during his interim spell is nothing to sniff at, but the team's recent success has exclusively come against opponents they would reasonably be expected to beat; the Dons have not defeated a team in the top half of the Premiership since the World Cup.

If Hearts can shake off the demoralising defeats inflicted by Celtic, they should underline their status as the best of the rest in the Premiership with a win this weekend.


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