Third takes on fourth in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday lunchtime as Aberdeen travel to Tynecastle to lock horns with Hearts.

While the hosts have lost three of their last four league matches on home soil, the visitors are seeking to avoid back-to-back defeats on the road.

Match preview

Hearts appeared to be heading for their sixth straight Premiership away defeat last weekend as they were trailing 2-0 against St Mirren going into the final 20 minutes of the contest in Paisley.

However, either side of Peter Haring's 77th-minute red card for a late tackle, goals from Josh Ginnelly and Lawrence Shankland helped the Jam Tarts fight back to earn a point, with the latter netting a dramatic 96th-minute penalty.

Interim boss Steven Naismith will still have hope of guiding his side into the top three this term as they currently sit fourth in the top-flight standings, five points behind Saturday's opponents Aberdeen with three games remaining.

Hearts have fared much better on home soil so far this season as they have accumulated 34 of their 49 points at Tynecastle, winning 11 and drawing one of their 17 home league matches.

The Jam Tarts are also unbeaten in their last eight home league meetings with Aberdeen, winning their last two by an aggregate score of 7-0.

Aberdeen's five-game winning streak at Pittodrie was brought to an end last weekend as they were somewhat fortunate to claim a point in a goalless draw with Hibernian.

Barry Robson witnessed arguably the most disappointing performance from his side since his appointment in January, as the Dons were second best throughout the contest and had goalkeeper Kelle Roos to thank for making several important saves before denying Kevin Nisbet from the penalty spot in the 79th minute.

Nevertheless, Aberdeen remain in the driving seat to finish best of the rest behind Glaswegian giants Celtic and Rangers in the top two, as they can move eight points clear of fourth-placed Hearts with a victory on Saturday.

The Dons head to Edinburgh seeking to win back-to-back league games against Hearts after securing a comfortable 3-0 home win in March, courtesy of three goals inside the opening 28 minutes from Duk (2) and Matthew Pollock; not since 2016-17 have Aberdeen won successive meetings with the Jam Tarts in the top flight.

However, Robson's side have struggled on the road this term as they have already lost 11 of their 17 away league matches, last losing more in a single Premiership campaign back in 1999-00 (13).

Team News

Hearts will be without midfielder Peter Haring following his red card last weekend, so either Orestis Kiomourtzoglou or Jorge Grant are set to start in centre-midfield alongside Cameron Devlin.

However, the Jam Tarts are able to welcome back Alex Cochrane from a one-match ban, and the left-back is expected to be recalled at the expense of Andy Halliday.

Top scorer Shankland has scored 22 Premiership goals this term and he is just two behind Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi in the race for the Golden Boot. The Scotsman is set to retain his place as the shadow striker in behind Ginnelly.

As for Aberdeen, star striker Duk could miss the rest of the season after limping out of last weekend's draw with Hibs with a hamstring injury, while Jonny Hayes and Ylber Ramadani were also seen hobbling at the final whistle and are doubtful for Saturday.

The potential absence of Duk may see either Marley Watkins or Matty Kennedy handed a start in support of Bojan Miovski, who has failed to score in each of his last seven away games for the Dons.

Ryan Duncan is expected to continue in centre-midfield alongside Leighton Clarkson as Graeme Shinnie serves the final game of his four-match suspension.

Hearts possible starting lineup:
Clark; Hill, Sibbick, Rowles, Cochrane; Devlin, Kiomourtzoglou; Oda, Shankland, McKay; Ginnelly

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Roos; Pollock, MacDonald, Scales; Coulson, Ramadani, Clarkson, Duncan, Hayes; Watkins; Miovski

We say: Hearts 1-1 Aberdeen

The home side have won each of the last five meetings between Hearts and Aberdeen, which bodes well for the former who need to claim maximum points to boost their hopes of securing third place.

However, a tighter affair could be in store this time around and with little to separate the two teams, a score draw may be played out at Tynecastle.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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