Hearts head coach Steven Naismith issues reassuring injury update ahead of Aberdeen match

The Jambos had a few injury scares in their 3-2 comeback win over Dundee but it looks like things might not be too bad.

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith has assured supporters that every player who was involved in Tuesday's stunning 3-2 comeback win over Dundee will be fit for this Saturday's match at home to Aberdeen.

Alex Cochrane, Beni Baningime and Aidan Denholm were all substituted earlier than expected in the match but the Jambos' gaffer has said the changes were more precautionary than anything. Speaking ahead of the fixture, he said: “Everyone that was involved in Tuesday night is fine. We had a few boys come off with knocks, but that was more about managing the impact.

“At the time, it hinders them, but everyone trained today and looking good ahead of tomorrow. Cammy’s progressing well and Boycie is probably at the stage where we don’t want to push him. It’ll be a tough game, as it always is against Aberdeen. We’re two clubs operating in the same ballpark. If we can start fast, much like we did on Tuesday in our second half performance, then we give ourselves a good chance.

“Starting well is so important because we need to stop giving ourselves more work to do to get a result as we have in the last two home games. We need to focus on ourselves because what other teams do isn’t relevant. Every time we win, it takes us closer to our target.”

Meanwhile, the Dons will be without left wing-back James McGarry who is facing a few months on the side-lines as well as centre back Slobadan Rubezic who was forced off the pitch in their midweek match with a nasty looking knee injury - the full extent of which is still not known by the north east club. Barry Robson's men were held to a 1-1 draw by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night.

Aberdeen currently sit seventh in the Scottish Premiership table and are 16 points behind Hearts with three games in hand. A victory at Tynecastle looks like a must for the visitors if they are going to have any hope of competing with Steven Naismith's side for third spot this season but wins in Gorgie have been hard to come by for them in recent years with their last coming in 2017.

This season it has been one win apiece between the sides with Hearts going over 2-0 at Tynecastle in September and the Dons winning 2-1 at Pittodrie in December. There's also the interesting side battle for the Golden Boot in the league this season with Jambos' skipper Lawrence Shankland leading the way on 13 and Aberdeen's North Macedonian international Bojan Miovski also in contention with ten.