Preview: Hearts vs Falkirk - prediction, team news, lineups

High-flying Hearts will aim to maintain their fabulous start to the 2025-26 season when they welcome Falkirk to Tynecastle Park in the Scottish Premiership.

The hosts have won four and drawn one of their five league fixtures, while the visitors have won one, drawn two and lost two of their five games.

Match preview

Hearts endured a difficult 2024-25 season, dropping out of the top four for the first time since returning to the top division in 2021-22 as they fell to a seventh-placed finish.

The Jambos, now under the management of Derek McInnes, look back to their best at the beginning of this campaign, having recorded four wins and one draw from five league games.

Those results leave Hearts sitting joint on points with Celtic at the top of the standings, only trailing the Bhoys on goal difference, with six compared to Celtic's seven.

While Hearts have not lost in normal time this campaign, they were eliminated from the Scottish League Cup on penalties by St Mirren in the second round, though they have bounced back with two wins and a draw in their last three outings.

Aiming to maintain their stellar start to the Scottish Premiership campaign, Hearts will look to exact revenge for Falkirk's 2-0 win in this fixture in the second round of the Scottish League Cup last term.

The visitors fantastically secured their return to the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 2009-10 as they lifted the Championship title last term, finishing three points ahead of second-placed Livingston.

Falkirk have had a mixed return to the top flight, suffering two defeats, two draws and winning only once in their first five league games, while they also lost 4-1 to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup second round.

Those results leave John McGlynn's side sitting eighth in the Scottish Premiership standings, while a win on Saturday could lift them to as high as third, though they could also fall as low as 11th depending on results elsewhere.

Falkirk will look to draw confidence from their most recent meetings with the Jambos, having won two of their last four games, including a 2-0 win last term.

Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

W W D W W

Hearts form (all competitions):

W W D D W W

Falkirk Scottish Premiership form:

D L W L D

Falkirk form (all competitions):

D L W L L D

Team News

Hearts will be without the availability of Calem Nieuwenhof, Christian Dahle Borchgrevink, Craig Gordon, Ageu, Finlay Pollock, Frankie Kent and Ryan Fulton due to injury issues.

After a difficult 2024-25 campaign for Lawrence Shankland, the striker looks back to his best this term with three goals in five games, and he should lead the line here.

Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis are expected to partner Shankland in attack, while a similar midfield three of Cameron Devlin, Beni Baningime and Harry Milne could start.

As for Falkirk, Aidan Nesbitt, Barney Stewart, Coll Donaldson, Ethan Ross, Finn Yeats, Jamie Sneddon, Kyrell Wilson and Thomas Long are all unlikely to feature due to injury problems.

Ross MacIver scored his second league goal of the term in the 2-2 draw with Hibernian, and the striker is expected to lead the line on Saturday.

New signing Ethan Williams, on loan from Manchester United, recorded both assists in that draw, and the winger should start alongside Dylan Tait, Calvin Miller and MacIver in attack.

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Schwolow; McEntee, Halkett, Findlay, Kingsley; Milne, Baningime, Devlin; Braga, Shankland, Kyziridis

Falkirk possible starting lineup:

Bain; Adams, Neilson, Henderson, McCann; Cartwright, Spencer; Williams, Tait, Miller; MacIver

We say: Hearts 3-1 Falkirk

Hearts have enjoyed a sensational start to the campaign, and coming up against newly-promoted Falkirk, we expect the hosts to comfortably win this one.

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