Kilmarnock v Hearts: TV channel; kick-off time; team news; form guide; odds

Hearts continue their cinch Premiership campaign away to Kilmarnock on Sunday. Here is all you need to know:

Match details

Who: Kilmarnock v Hearts

What: cinch Scottish Premiership

Hearts defender Alex Cochrane battles Kyle Lafferty when Kilmarnock won at Tynecastle in the Premier Sports Cup at the end of August. Picture: SNS

Where: Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

When: Sunday, October 9. Kick-off 3pm.

Referee: Matthew MacDermid

TV and ticket info

Fans inside the UK and Ireland can watch the match live through Kilmarnock’s pay-per-view service. The game is available for £12.99 from the Killie website. Supporters based internationally can watch through their Hearts TV subscription.

Team news

Michael Smith faces a late fitness test on a tight hamstring. Hearts will still be without the services of Craig Halkett who is rated as doubtful to return in time for the away match with Fiorentina as he continues to battle hamstring and calf problems. Kye Rowles isn’t expected back until the end of this month at the earliest. Beni Baningime and Liam Boyce are long-term absentees. Cammy Devlin begins his two-match league suspension following his red card against Rangers.

Derek McInnes will be without four players. The Killie boss hopes Ryan Alebiosu, Liam Donnelly and Fraser Murray will be available for the game against St Mirren next week. However, Scott Robinson is still a few weeks away from fitness following a lengthy spell out with a foot injury.

Form guide

Killie got a much-needed confidence booster in midweek as Daniel Armstrong’s double was enough to defeat St Johnstone. Derek McInnes' side had previously lost three straight and were sitting in 11th place in the cinch Premiership.

Hearts have won only twice and lost five in their last seven games, a run stretching back to the 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock which saw the Gorgie Road side exit the Premier Sports Cup at the first hurdle.

Head-to-head

Kilmarnock’s record at Tynecastle is well documented. They’ve won six and remained undefeated in their last seven trips to face the Jam Tarts. Hearts have had a happier time of it in Killie, winning three of their last five, though they were soundly thrashed 3-0 on their last visit.

Manager thoughts

Robbie Neilson: “When you play against a level of opposition like Fiorentina... I thought there were areas of the park where we did well and contained them. However, if you stop and if you switch off for half a second, you lose goals.”

Bookies’ odds

Home 23/10, Draw 5/2, Away 11/10, with McBookie.