Hamilton player-manager Martin Canning takes part in training
Scottish Premiership
- Venue: New Douglas Park, Hamilton
- Date: Saturday, 29 August
Coverage: Updates on Golsicilia.it Radio Scotland & Golsicilia.it Sport website
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TEAM NEWS
Hamilton have former QPR defender Jamie Sendles-White and Brazil-born forward Alex D'Acol available to face Hearts after the pair signed in midweek.
Danny Redmond and Darren Lyon are close to fitness following lay-offs but player-manager Martin Canning and Chris Turner and Michael Devlin remain out.
Prince Buaben and Jamie Walker return to the Hearts squad following knocks.
Striker Soufian El Hassnaoui, midfielder Miguel Pallardo and defender Blazej Augustyn remain out.
COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
Robbie Neilson says there is still room for improvement from his high-flying Hearts side.
The quiet man of football management rarely gets over-excited and is always quick to play down the importance of big results but, given how things have gone for his side since their return to the Premiership, his most pressing challenge now could be managing expectation.
The boys from the capital are perched proudly at the top of the table. Unbeaten in five league games, with 17 goals scored in the process.
The feel-good factor isn't just back down Gorgie way, it's bigger and bolder than ever.
Now fans who have flocked to fill Tynecastle for every home game so far must fight it out for tickets for what could be an intriguing trip to Lanarkshire.
Awaiting them is a Hamilton side who, on recent showings, appear to have shrugged off some of the problems that plagued them last season.
They sit fourth in the table with two wins, one defeat and a draw under their belts – included in those statistics are a 4-0 home win over Dundee United and a 2-0 win on the road against last year's Scottish Cup winners Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Player-manager Martin Canning has found himself the bookies' favourite for the sack more than once since taking over from Alex Neil but he has kept his head and his belief when both could easily have dropped.
In fact, despite an awful run last year that saw his side fail to win in 13 games, Accies are actually unbeaten at home since February.
Brief flirtations with the lower divisions means the sides haven't faced each other on league business since season 2010-2011.
Hamilton fans won't find any comfort from the head-to-heads during that particular campaign – Hearts came out on top three times and Hamilton failed to score.
History is history though – for now, confidence is high around New Douglas Park.
As the visiting manager says though, there's always room for improvement.