Hearts v St Johnstone: How to watch, team news, likely line-ups, referee, betting odds

Hearts are back in action on Sunday looking to put the disappointment of Thursday’s Europa League exit behind them with three points against a St Johnstone side struggling for form.
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Match details

Who? Hearts v St Johnstone.

What? cinch Premiership, matchday five.

Hearts defender Alex Cochrane, right, goes up against Melker Hallberg during St Johnstone's 2-1 win over Hearts in February. Picture: SNSHearts defender Alex Cochrane, right, goes up against Melker Hallberg during St Johnstone's 2-1 win over Hearts in February. Picture: SNS
Hearts defender Alex Cochrane, right, goes up against Melker Hallberg during St Johnstone's 2-1 win over Hearts in February. Picture: SNS

Where? Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh.

When? Sunday, August 28. 3pm kick-off.

How to watch

The match will not be available to stream unless you are a Hearts TV subscriber living outwith the United Kingdom.

Team news

Stephen Kingsley is a doubt after having to come off in the closing stages of Thursday’s match. The defender is still coming back to full fitness after a hamstring issue suffered prior to the start of the season. Craig Halkett remains on the sidelines. Toby Sibbick and Alex Cochrane are suspended following their red cards at Celtic Park last weekend.

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St Johnstone should have Adam Montgomery back available again. The Celtic loanee missed last weekend’s defeat to Aberdeen with a thigh strain. There is, however, less positive news regarding Cammy Macpherson. The midfielder also picked up a thigh strain but is expected to miss the next three months.

Possible starting XIs

Hearts: Gordon; Atkinson, Smith, Rowles, Halliday; Haring, Devlin; Forrest, Boyce, McKay; Shankland.

St Johnstone: Matthews; McGowan, Mitchell, Considine; Wright, Hallberg, Phillips, Montgomery; Murphy, Bair, Carey.

Referee

It’ll be only three weeks between matches refereed by John Beaton after the experienced whistler took charge of the Edinburgh derby in early August where Hearts were undone by a late Hibs equaliser. As for St Johnstone, their last encounter with Beaton as the match official (according to Transfermarkt) was also against Hibs way back in last September when they were beaten 1-0 at Easter Road.

Previous meeting

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Further proving their inability to win at McDiarmid Park, Hearts lost 2-1 the last time the sides met with a Jamie McCart winner the difference between them after Nathaniel Atkinson had cancelled out Ali Crawford’s first-minute opener. Hearts won the last fixture at Tynecastle thanks to a Josh Ginnelly double.

What the bookmakers say

Hearts are strong favourites for this one with odds of 13/20 on a home win. The draw is 11/4 while St Johnstone are out at 19/4 to cause an upset. (All odds, courtesy of Bet365, are correct at the time of publication.)

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