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

Hearts and Aberdeen will wrap the opening matchday of the Scottish Premiership season when they face off in Monday’s clash at Tynecastle.

The hosts finished the 2024-25 campaign in seventh position, while the Dons clinched fifth spot in the Scottish Premiership table.

Match preview

After enjoying three consecutive top-four finishes, Hearts experienced a disappointing drop off in the 2024-25 campaign, finishing in seventh place after winning 15, drawing seven and losing 16 of their 38 league matches.

Derek McInnes will lead Hearts into the new Scottish Premiership season after leaving Kilmarnock to take over the reins at Tynecastle.

The 54-year-old has already made a promising start to his tenure, guiding his team through to the Scottish League Cup knockout rounds with a perfect record.

Impressively, Hearts scored four goals in each of their four group games against Dunfermline, Hamilton, Stirling and Dumbarton.

McInnes’s current focus will be on Monday’s clash against Aberdeen, and he will be desperate for a positive result after losing three of his previous four competitive matches against his former club.

Hearts have also struggled for victories in recent games against Aberdeen, having failed to win any of their previous four competitive meetings since recording a 2-0 home victory in January 2024.

Aberdeen will have fond memories of the 2024-25 season after ending their long 35-year wait for Scottish Cup glory.

Their journey to the trophy included a semi-final win over Hearts, before they pulled off a penalty-shootout victory over Celtic in May's final at Hampden Park, securing their place in the Europa League playoff round.

While the campaign was a success, Aberdeen would have been slightly frustrated to drop to fifth place in the Scottish Premiership table after making a storming start to the league season.

The Dons won 10 and drew one of their first 11 league games to move level with leaders Celtic, before they fell away with five wins, seven draws and 15 defeats in the next 27 matches.

Jimmy Thelin's side have warmed up for the new season with three friendlies, recording a 2-0 win over Cove Rangers, before losing 4-1 to Fulham and 3-1 to Ipswich Town.

Aberdeen will be keen to pick up all three points in their opener, but that may be easier said than done, having failed to win any of their previous 11 away league matches against Hearts since they picked up a 2-1 win in May 2017.

Hearts form (all competitions):

W W W W

Aberdeen pre-season form:

L W

Team News

The hosts are unable to call upon the services of Craig Gordon, Jamie McCart and Finlay Pollock due to injury.

Christian Borchgrevink and Calem Nieuwenhof are hoping to be fit for the league opener, although Beni Baningime is a doubt due to a knee issue.

Summer signing Pierre Landry Kabore is hoping to receive his work permit in time to play a role in Monday’s home fixture.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Cup winners are expected to be without the services of Kristers Tobers and Emmanuel Gyamfi.

Thelin can no longer call upon striker Habib Gueye, who recently completed a permanent transfer to Turkish side Kasimpasa.

Midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen and forward Ester Sokler are battling to prove their fitness in time for the league opener.

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Gordon; Kent, Halkett, Findlay; Forrester, Devlin, McEntee, Nieuwenhof, Milne; Shankland, Braga

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:

Mitov; Jensen, Dorrington, Knoester, Shinnie; Palaversa, Clarkson; Morris, Aouchiche, Keskinen; Yengi

We say: Hearts 2-0 Aberdeen

Hearts would have built confidence with their dominant displays in the Scottish League Cup group stage, and considering that they have won four of their last five home league games against Aberdeen, we think that they will make full use of home advantage to collect all three points in their Scottish Premiership opener.

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