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Dundee logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 24
Feb 3, 2024 at 3pm UK
Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park
Hearts logo

Dundee
2 - 3
Hearts

McGhee (26'), Cameron (59')
Bakayoko (33'), Boateng (43'), McCowan (80')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Forrest (55'), Shankland (79' pen., 87')
Naismith (34'), Cochrane (84')

Preview: Dundee vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash between Dundee and Hearts, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

The most in-form side in the Scottish Premiership travel to another outfit making moves up the table, when Hearts make the trip to Dundee on Saturday.

Steven Naismith's side are running away from the chasing pack in third after a superb run of results both before and after the winter break.


Match preview

Hearts manager Steven Naismith reacts on October 29, 2023© Reuters

Hearts continued their charge for a spot in the Europa League last weekend by beating Aberdeen 2-0 at Tynecastle, which extended their unbeaten run to eight games, where they have won seven, and many have come late on in proceedings.

A stunning 2-0 win at Celtic kick-started this run, and a stoppage-time winner from Lawrence Shankland saw them beat rivals Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby.

More late shows have followed, including in the reverse fixture which was played just over a week ago after an initial postponement, as Hearts came from 2-0 down to beat Dundee 3-2, with Yutaro Oda scoring the 86th-minute winner.

Over the past seven games in the Premiership, Hearts have more points than any other side, as their tally of 19 is better than both Rangers (18) and Celtic (15).

That has resulted in a huge gulf opening up between Hearts and the rest of the sides below them, as there is now a 10-point buffer to themselves and Kilmarnock in fourth.

Despite not impressing greatly since the return of league action, Dundee now join Hearts in the top six, which provides a place in the Championship Group when the league splits after 33 games.

Tony Docherty's men have only taken four points from a possible nine since the resumption of the Premiership, but that has been enough to move them up two places to sixth.

A 4-1 victory against bottom-of-the-table Livingston remains their only win in six, but Dundee have taken advantage of other sides around them being out of form entirely.

It was their 1-1 draw at Aberdeen which brought Barry Robson's tenure at Pittodrie to an end and means they enter the weekend above Hibs on goal difference.

While clubs behind them are breathing down their neck for a spot in the top six, Dundee will have eyes on Kilmarnock and St Mirren above them, considering they have two games in hand, and a deficit that is surmountable.

Dundee Scottish Premiership form:


Dundee form (all competitions):


Hearts Scottish Premiership form:


Hearts form (all competitions):



Team News

Liverpool's Owen Beck in action on August 8, 2021© Reuters

Dundee will be able to welcome back Luke McCowan from suspension after he sat out the draw at Aberdeen in midweek, but Juan Portales remains out with a hamstring injury.

The hosts have been active in the market, re-signing Owen Beck from Liverpool after he spent the first half of the season at Dens Park.

Michael Mellon and Owen Dodgson have also joined Dara Costelloe in joining from Burnley, but Ryan Astley is still yet to make his debut after a move from Everton.

Hearts will remain without Australian duo Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson ahead of their quarter-final clash with South Korea in the Asian Cup this week.

As far as injuries are concerned, Cammy Devlin and Liam Boyce remain the only absentees for Naismith's side ahead of this trip.

Shankland's goal last weekend in the win over Aberdeen was his 14th of the campaign, as he remains clear at the top of the scoring charts and is still the first name on the Hearts team sheet.

Dundee possible starting lineup:
Carson; Ashcroft, Shaughnessy, Dodgson; McGhee, Boateng, Sylla, Cameron, Beck; Bakayoko, Robinson

Hearts possible starting lineup:
Clark; Lembikisa, Kingsley, Kent, Cochrane; Nieuwenhof, Baningime; Oda, Grant, Forrest; Shankland


SM words green background

We say: Dundee 0-2 Hearts

Results have been very varied between these two sides at Dens Park since Dundee's top-flight return in 2012, with the hosts 7-5 up in terms of wins in 13 meetings.

However, with Hearts' current form, it is hard to look past the visitors repeating the feat of their success over Dundee last month to maintain that healthy lead in third.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Game History

How you voted: Dundee vs Hearts

Dundee
19.2%
Draw
0.0%
Hearts
80.8%
26
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Liverpool's Owen Beck in action on August 8, 2021
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rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts101046341263
4Kilmarnock10104334952
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian11004752-542
2Aberdeen11003649-1338
3Motherwell10014652-637
4St Johnstone10012549-2431
5Ross County10013258-2630
6Livingston11002459-3521
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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