Motherwell are in back action after two devilishly difficult encounters post-Christmas when they go to Tynecastle to face Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Thursday.
Hearts:
Hearts will be desperate to recover from a nightmare December when they face Motherwell at Tynecastle on Thursday. The Edinburgh side has been in freefall, with a series of late collapses and poor results, including a devastating 2-2 draw against Ross County after leading 2-0 in the 97th minute. Their 2024 ending also saw them eliminated from European competition after another late equalizer cost them a place in the Conference League knockout rounds. With just two wins from their last 12 matches, and a 10-point gap to the top six, Neil Critchley’s side are now battling to avoid relegation, with only three points separating them from the bottom of the table. While they are fortunate that St Johnstone's struggles mirror their own, Hearts must arrest their slide or risk being pulled into a relegation dogfight.
Motherwell:
Motherwell will be encouraged by their performance in a 2-2 draw against Rangers after a heavy loss to Celtic. Despite a controversial disallowed own goal and being pegged back by Rangers, Stuart Kettlewell's men showed resilience and confidence. Sitting in the top six at the start of the new year, Motherwell will target this fixture against a floundering Hearts side as an opportunity to secure vital points and maintain their strong position. With just one defeat in their last five matches, they will be optimistic about their chances against a Hearts side in turmoil. Two favorable fixtures, against Hearts and struggling Aberdeen, could allow Motherwell to solidify their place in the Championship Group, with Hibernian close on their heels.
Prediction:1-2
Hearts vs Motherwell stream and TV listing
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