After a free weekend to mull over a surprise defeat to struggling Motherwell, Hearts host St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday afternoon.

Hearts suffered a 2-0 reverse away to the Well a fortnight ago while St Johnstone arrive at Tynecastle after a 1-1 draw with St Mirren last weekend.

Match preview

Jonathan Obika and Blair Spittal struck for Motherwell on either side of half time, condemning Hearts to their first away defeat of the calendar year in a display which manager Robbie Neilson described as the club's worst "for a long, long time".

Even after that loss and a weekend off, Hearts still have a five-point cushion above Hibernian and St Mirren in third place.

The Jambos rank as the best Scottish team outside of the Old Firm duo for wins, goals scored and goal difference this season.

No other player in the Scottish top flight - including the high-flyers at Celtic and Rangers - can boast more combined goals and assists than Hearts' talisman Lawrence Shankland, who is enjoying a remarkably prolific debut campaign in Edinburgh which he partially credits to working with a mindset coach.

Hearts face the daunting prospect of two games in four days against reigning champions and newly crowned Scottish League Cup winners Celtic next week, giving Saturday's clash extra importance as positive results may be harder to earn in the coming days.

The Saints had been playing with 10 men for half an hour after Daniel Phillips's dismissal on the cusp of half time when Zak Rudden looped a delicate header in off the post to break the deadlock against St Mirren, only for Alex Gogic to thunder the Buddies level in the final five minutes.

St Johnstone limped into February after a dire sequence of seven consecutive defeats but Callum Davidson managed to hold onto his job and halt the slide, steering the Saints to seven points from four games last month.

Sitting eighth in the table with six matches to play before the split, St Johnstone are only four points behind sixth-placed Aberdeen and do not face any of the Old Firm in their remaining fixtures before the league divides in two.

Davidson has the Saints dreaming of the top half of the table thanks to their exceptional away record this season which ranks as the third-best in the Premiership - with a tally of 19 points from 14 away games that only Celtic and Rangers can better.

The two previous matches between these sides this season have both ended in 3-2 victories for Hearts, with Shankland scoring a penalty home and away against the Saints.

Team News

The 40-year-old Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon revealed "there is no end date" for his recovery from a double leg break he suffered on Christmas Eve against Dundee United.

Beni Baningime could return from a cruciate ligament injury as soon as this month while Liam Boyce is a little further behind in his recovery from a similar knee complaint.

Gary Mackay-Steven (foot) and Craig Halkett (knee) are targeting mid-March for the conclusion of their rehabilitation processes but Peter Haring is not yet ready to return from a serious concussion.

There have been whispers that Phillips's suspension may prompt Davidson to deviate from his familiar 3-5-2 as St Johnstone are lacking options in the middle of the park in the 22-year-old's absence.

Midfielder Charlie Gilmour and centre-back Ryan McGowan are not expected to be a part of any system while they nurse respective ankle and groin issues.

Striker Chris Kane is still lacking full match fitness as he awaits his first appearance of the season while fighting back from a knee injury.

Hearts possible starting lineup:
Clark; Hill, Sibbick, Kingsley; Smith, Grant, Snodgrass, Cochrane; Humphrys, McKay; Shankland

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Matthews; Brown, Mitchell, Gordon, Montgomery; Wright, MacPherson, Hallberg, Carey; Rudden, May

We say: Hearts 3-1 St Johnstone

After a fortnight stewing over an uncharacteristically blunt display against Motherwell, we are backing Hearts to return to league action with a burning vengeance, taking out their frustrations on a St Johnstone side which could cause them problems, but not enough to avoid defeat.


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