Preview: Ross County vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts sit in 11th place heading into this game, while their opponents are 31 points better off in third place.

Match preview

Ross County retained their spot in the Scottish top flight by the skin of their teeth last season as they came from 3-0 behind on aggregate in the relegation playoff final, scoring three times in the final 20 minutes of the second leg against Partick Thistle before eventually triumphing on penalties.

While not mathematically impossible, it is virtually guaranteed that Don Cowie's side will be taking part in the relegation round when the league splits during the second phase of the season as they sit 12 points behind sixth-placed Dundee with just four games remaining in the first phase of the season.

With the points carrying over from the first phase into the second phase of the season, Ross County will still be out for victory as they look to avoid placing in the bottom two for the second successive season.

Wins have come as a rarity for the hosts this season though, as they have managed to pick up just five victories from the 29 games they have played thus far, resulting in two managers being sacked prior to Don Cowie taking up the mantle halfway through February.

Despite appearing to start the season in a positive manner under Malky Mackay, winning two of their first four Scottish Premiership contests, he was eventually sacked in November after a run of nine games without a victory in all competitions.

Up next was Derek Adams, who again got off to a good start as he guided his side to seven points from his first three outings in charge. However, Ross County then embarked on another nine-game winless streak that saw him dismissed early in February.

Cowie has so far struggled to get his side to pick up results as they have managed just five points from the last 18 available to them, leaving them stuck as the 11th-placed side in the league.

Hearts, on the other hand, started the season rather poorly under the newly-appointed Frankie McAvoy as the former Preston North End boss led them to one win in their opening four league matches before ultimately being sacked with his side on a four-game losing run.

Steven Naismith took charge of the side midway through September, and the Jambos have never looked back, losing just seven and winning 20 of the 30 matches that the former Scottish international has been in charge of.

Hearts come into this encounter on the back of the best run of results they have had since the appointment of Naismith earlier in the season, losing just one of their last 16 games in all competitions, with this coming against top-of-the-table Rangers.

Hearts have guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the first phase of this season, boasting a 13-point lead over fourth-placed St Mirren with just four games left of the season, while they are also unable to move above Celtic as they trail last season's champions by 13 points.

This fixture has been heavily in favour of Hearts in recent years with Ross County not managing a victory against this weekend's visitors since a 1-0 win back in March 2017.

Ross County Scottish Premiership form:

L

L

W

D

L

D

Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

W

W

W

L

D

W

Hearts form (all competitions):

W

W

L

D

W

W

Team News

Both sides have a long list of injuries ahead of this fixture, leaving both managers with weaker squads than they would like.

The hosts have four absentees with Dylan Smith, Ross Callachan, Scott Allardice and Will Nightingale all sidelined.

Hearts have even more problems than the hosts ahead of this game with six players out due to injury.

The long list consists of Barrie McKay, Craig Halkett, Frankie Kent, Liam Boyce, Peter Haring and Yutaro Oda, leaving Naismith with a lot to think about with his team selection.

Ross County possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Efete, Baldwin, Leak; Sims, Randall, Loturi, Khela, Reid; Brophy, Murray

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Clark; Atkinson, Kingsley, Sibbick, Cochrane; Nieuwenhof, Devlin; Vargas, Fraser, Forrest; Shankland

We say: Ross County 0-2 Hearts

Ross County have struggled throughout this season and they have also failed to record a victory against Hearts since March 2017.

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