Hearts are on the road to Kilmarnock (kick-off 3pm) on Saturday as they kick-start their post-split campaign and aim to bounce back after their Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup defeat by Rangers at Hampden.
The Jambos are third in the 12-strong cinch Premiership table and Kilmarnock are fourth and both managers have injury worries ahead of the fixture.
And Kilmarnock are in-form having lost only three times in their last 21 games. They come into the fixture fresh after having a weekend off for the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
Hearts have a massive incentive, however. Victory could confirm third place in the league and ensure that the Tynecastle team are in Europe next season.
The head-to-head record between the teams indicates that Killie have won one game, two have been drawn and Hearts have won twice. Their last meeting at Tynecastle saw a 1-1 draw with Hearts having won at Rugby Park in early December and in the Viaplay Cup at the same venue in late September.
Their first meeting this season produced a no-score draw at Tynecastle and Hearts have 62 points from their 33 games with Killie on 51 from the same number of fixtures.
Steven Naismith’s side have scored 46 goals and let in 34 while Derek McInnes’ men have scored 43 goals and shipped 34. Not much between the teams then ahead of the game.
PICTURE: Steven Naismith, Hearts head coach, with his coaching team in the Tynecastle dugout
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