St Mirrenvs.Hearts

sportsmole.co.uk, 13 May 2024, 15:37
Aiming to secure their spot in next season's Europa Conference League, St Mirren will welcome Hearts to the SMISA Stadium for a Scottish Premiership clash on Wednesday night.

The Saints are on the verge of booking their ticket onto the continental stage despite losing to Kilmarnock on the weekend, whilst the Maroons will be looking to build on a convincing success over Dundee.

Match preview

After the 3-1 success at Dens Park versus Dundee on May 4, St Mirren were unable to make it back-to-back wins in the Premiership for the first time since February on Saturday afternoon, when the Saints came away empty-handed from a home clash against an in-form Kilmarnock.

Following a goalless and cagey opening 30 minutes, Killie managed to take control of the contest courtesy of Kyle Vassell, whose ninth of the league campaign past Zach Hemming was enough to secure all three points for the Europa League-bound visitors at the SMISA Stadium.

Having collected three points from as many first-tier clashes since the post-season split, St Mirren currently occupy fifth position in the Premiership standings heading into the penultimate match of the league campaign, after earning a respectable tally of 46 points from 36 games.

With sixth-placed Dundee five points further behind, Steve Robinson's troops know that a victory over Hearts on Wednesday night will be enough to ensure that St Mirren are playing in the qualifying rounds of next season's revamped Conference League - a significant achievement for the club.

After showing signs of promise during a spell at Motherwell last season, Mikael Mandron has burst into life this time around for St Mirren, with the former Sunderland youngster bagging eight Premiership goals and providing three assists in 33 appearances.

Despite their final standing in the Premiership table already known ahead of the season's end, Hearts showed no signs of taking the rest of the term lightly on Saturday afternoon when they dismantled sixth-placed Dundee at Tynecastle, winning by a convincing three-goal margin.

Yet to score following the post-season split, Maroons talisman and Scotland international Lawrence Shankland got his name onto the scoresheet last time out, with strikes from Kenneth Vargas and Alan Forrest completing a relatively-comfortable afternoon for the hosts in Edinburgh.

Fast approaching their final away fixture of the Premiership season, Steven Naismith's remain firmly cemented to third position in the top-tier standings, 15 points behind second-placed Rangers and 11 points better off when compared to fourth-placed Kilmarnock.

After a defeat to Aston Villa in the qualifying rounds of the Conference League earlier this campaign, Hearts' third-placed finish in the division this term means that Europa League football will be returning to Tynecastle, with Naismith's charges hoping to make waves on the continental stage.

It will be interesting to see how marksman Shankland adapts to life in European football, with the 28-year-old bagging a remarkable 22 goals in 35 league games so far, meaning that he leads the Premiership's Golden Boot race.

St Mirren Scottish Premiership form:

D

L

L

L

W

L

Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

D

W

W

D

L

W

Hearts form (all competitions):

W

W

L

D

L

W

Team News

Heading into the final midweek match of the term, St Mirren are without the services of Hyeok-Kyu Kwon, who suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in April.

Despite the Saints failing to find the net last time out, the likes of Conor McMenamin and Toyosi Olusanya should keep their spots in attack alongside Mandron.

Hearts are unable to call upon the talents of former Sydney midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof, with the 23-year-old struggling due to a hamstring issue.

After helping their side to keep a clean sheet on the weekend, Stephen Kingsley and Kye Rowles should remain as the centre-back pairing for the Maroons.

There is also less likely to be alterations in the visitors' backline due to the continued absence of Craig Halkett, who sustained a knee injury in February.

St Mirren possible starting lineup:

Hemming; Bolton, Gogic, Fraser; Strain, O'Hara, Boyd-Munce, Tanser; McMenamin, Olusanya, Mandron

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Gordon; Lembikisa, Kingsley, Rowles, Cochrane; Baningime, Devlin, Forrest, Vargas, McKay; Shankland

We say: St Mirren 1-2 Hearts

St Mirren are stumbling towards the finishing line and could miss out on European football altogether if their poor run of form continues.

Previews by email

Top News

27 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly shortlisted 22-year-old Boca Juniors goalkeeper Leandro Brey as a transfer target for the January 2025 window. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has suffered the worst start of a Manchester United manager in 92 years thanks to Thursday's disheartening 2-0 Premier League loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea suffered their worst Premier League collapse of the 2000s in their shock 2-1 home loss to Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk AVS and Estrela Amadora are in action for the last time in 2024 when they go head to head at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves in round 16 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Saturday. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool wing wizard Mohamed Salah hit yet another Premier League goalscoring landmark as Arne Slot's league leaders fought back to defeat Leicester City 3-1 on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have lost key midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to suspension for their trip to West Ham United in the Premier League this weekend. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The only team in the Premier League with their unbeaten home record still intact, Arsenal seek to avoid a festive giant killing in Friday's Emirates encounter with Ipswich Town. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The agent of Manchester United attacker Antony has confirmed that there is "concrete interest" in the Brazilian ahead of the January transfer window. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur's defensive crisis worsened in their 1-0 Premier League loss to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, as Djed Spence was sent off while Radu Dragusin sustained an ankle injury. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to end 2024 on top of Serie A, league leaders Atalanta BC will tackle close challengers Lazio at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea hotshot Cole Palmer broke a 23-year-old club goalscoring record set by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the Blues' shock 2-1 Premier League defeat to West London derby rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Julen Lopetegui's West Ham United beat Southampton 1-0 away from home on Thursday afternoon and spoiled Saints manager Ivan Juric's first game in charge of the club. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest have shot back into third place in the Premier League table thanks to Nuno Espirito Santo masterminding a 1-0 win over former club Tottenham Hotspur. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Andoni Iraola's Champions League hopefuls Bournemouth were held to a 0-0 draw away from home by Crystal Palace on Boxing Day at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Rodrigo Muniz scored a last-gasp winner as Fulham sensationally came from behind to defeat West London rivals Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to arrest their underwhelming Primeira Liga results before Christmas, Estoril Praia and Moreirense clash at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Saturday, keen to notch important victories in the gameweek 16 encounter. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Birmingham's Boxing Day clash with Burton had to be temporarily suspended due to a medical emergency at St Andrew's. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Kevin De Bruyne certainly wasn't in the festive spirit after walking down the tunnel immediately after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw against Everton. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Jose Mourinho reportedly wants Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford at Fenerbahce, while Paris Saint-Germain will not sign the 27-year-old. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland missed a second-half penalty as Manchester City's Premier League plight continued with a 1-1 draw at home to a dogged Everton unit at the Etihad Stadium. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Primeira Liga title contenders Porto could climb to first place on Saturday when they host relegation-threatened Boavista at Estadio do Dragao in gameweek 16. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Goalkeepers tend to be a little crazy and Jordan Pickford is no different. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Fulham have announced their teams for the West London derby at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are paying increased attention to Atalanta BC midfielder Ederson ahead of a potential summer move to Old Trafford. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal pair Gabriel Jesus and David Raya could both write new chapters of Gunners history when Mikel Arteta's men host Ipswich Town in Friday's Premier League encounter. 26 December 2024 talksport.com Christmas may have come and gone, but Man City' boss Pep Guardiola - and his players - are hoping for presents in the form of new signings. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to finish a successful year with a streak of five straight Serie A wins, Inter Milan will visit Cagliari on Saturday, as both sides play their final fixture of 2024. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are supposedly all prepared to go head-to-head for the services of Club Brugge defender Maxim De Cuyper in the January window. 26 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says that he loves the club but that the future is uncertain ahead of his side's clash against Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day in the Premier League.