Hearts boss Robbie Neilson: 'Aberdeen match can help club's form'

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has said that a home fixture against Scottish Premiership leaders Aberdeen can help the club get out of their current slump.

Hearts, who are third in the league, have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since Neilson took charge in May 2014.

"It's a great game to come back into," Neilson told BBC Sport.

"We need to deal with it. Aberdeen are absolutely flying. They have had a great start to the season and it will be a full house on Sunday so you couldn't ask for a better game to try and put our poor run to bed.

"It's a big difference playing at home for our players. A totally different atmosphere. We are used to playing in front of 17,000-18,000. We go away to some grounds and it's only 1500-2000. It's hard for them and they need to learn how to handle that. I think they are still doing that. I don't have any issues about Sunday. They will be ready for it."

Hearts, who won last season's Championship, have lost just once in their last 14 meetings against Aberdeen.