Inverness CT v Hearts: team news, starting XI, odds, how to watch live

Hearts make the trip to the Highlands on Friday night for a match which pales in significance when you consider what club legend John Robertson is going through.
Liam Boyce was on target the last time Hearts and Inverness CT met. Picture: SNSLiam Boyce was on target the last time Hearts and Inverness CT met. Picture: SNS
Liam Boyce was on target the last time Hearts and Inverness CT met. Picture: SNS

Robertson won’t be in the Inverness CT dugout for the clash having been given compassionate leave following a family bereavement. There will, however, be a familiar face in Neil McCann, who has been placed in temporary charge.

Hearts come into the match on the back of two successive draws and poor performances, away to Queen of the South and at home to Greenock Morton.

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The team still hold an 11-point lead despite those dropped points.

Robbie Neilson’s men are in front of the BBC cameras on a Friday night for the sixth time tomorrow evening. But it does allow for the team to increase their lead at the top once more and put pressure on the sides playing on Saturday.

For Inverness, they sit sixth, three points off the play-off spots and one point ahead of the relegation play-off place. Due to postponements, they have up to three games in hand over some clubs.

They faced Alloa in midweek, drawing 2-2 with former Hearts forward James Keatings on the scoresheet. They had been leading 2-1 until a late Alan Trouten penalty secured a point for the Wasps.

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Team news: Hearts are only missing long-term absentees Josh Ginnelly, John Souttar and Jamie Brandon. Aidy White is back in training and is available after missing recent games.

Possible XI: Gordon; Smith, Popescu, Halkett, Kingsley; Walker, McEneff, Irving, Mackay-Steven; Boyce, Gnanduillet.

What Neilson said: “It’s just about remaining calm and doing the things we’re doing. We’re going to have games every so often where we create chances and it doesn’t quite happen for you on the day.

“We’ve had other games this season where we have had far less attempts at goal and scored more goals. So we have had a chat about concentrating a little bit more when we get those opportunities and make sure we take them.”

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Match details: Friday, February 26. Kick-off 7.45pm, Caledonian Stadium, Inverness.

How to watch: The game is being shown live on BBC Scotland. Coverage starts at 7.30 with the post-match analysis and interviews until 10pm.

Last meeting: Hearts won 2-1 at Tynecastle Park back in November. Steven Naismith opened the scoring after the interval before Liam Boyce added a deft second. Aaron Doran made it a tense finish with a goal back in the 86th minute.

Key stat: Hearts are unbeaten in their last nine matches against Inverness. Six of those have been wins, including the last four. Prior to this run, Hearts had gone ten games without defeating the Highlanders in 90 minutes.

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Referee: Nick Walsh – The official will be overseeing just his second Championship game of the season. Predominantly a Premiership referee, Walsh’s only previous time officiating the second tier was Hearts’ 3-1 win over Arbroath at Tynecastle Park. He awarded the home side a spot kick which allowed Steven Naismith to complete a six-minute hat-trick.

Match odds: Inverness CT 7/2 Draw 31/10 Hearts 4/6 (odds via McBookie)