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Steven Naismith’s first half goal decided a tight encounter at Fir Park as Motherwell suffered a 1-0 defeat against Hearts.

Stephen Robinson named an unchanged side from the 3-1 victory over Dundee two weeks ago, as the Steelmen looked to follow up on a first league win.

Despite a hugely positive opening half, where Curtis Main went close with a volley and Richard Tait was denied from close range, Hearts took the lead against the run of play.

Uche Impeazu latched on to a Carl McHugh back pass, colliding with Trevor Carson, before Naismith picked up the loose ball and passed the ball home.

It left the Fir Park side a goal down, but also forced an early change as Carson was stretchered off with a painful injury to his ankle.

The second half was a largely frustrating one for Robinson’s men, with all substitutions used after just 60-minutes, Hearts sat in and looked to hold on to their lead.

And despite McHugh’s best efforts to nod home a Gaël Bigirimana cross, the visitors held on to maintain their perfect start to the Premiership campaign.

Peter Hartley, Mark Gillespie and Curtis Main reflect on the 1-0 defeat against Hearts. 

Gillespie, who was sent on to replace the injured Trevor Carson, said: “I think we can take a lot of positives. We were in the game right until the end but maybe didn’t have that quality in the final third.”

Stephen Robinson says his team matched Hearts all the way in their Ladbrokes Premiership clash, with the game decided by one pivotal moment.

The Motherwell boss urged fans to remember where the Gorgie club find themselves in the league, with them top with a 100% record from five matches.

After overwhelmingly winning the public vote, Gaël Bigirimana is your Tullibardine Player of the Month for August.

Bigi picked up 75% of all votes cast on our Facebook page and was joined by two special guests from Australia to congratulate him.

Craig Tyrie and his son Marshall are over from Australia for Saturday’s game with Hearts, and the two Well Society members got the chance to let him know of his award win.

Back from international duty and raring to go, Scotland Under 21 international Chris Cadden is ready for the challenges Hearts will present on Saturday.

Facing the league leaders will be no easy task, but the player says another honest performance from the Steelmen will put them in with a chance of a home win.

The international break is over. Motherwell welcome Hearts in the first game back at Fir Park in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Familiar foes

The Steelmen take on Craig Levein’s side for the first time this season but it won’t be long until the two are getting acquainted again, as the ‘Well head to Tynecastle Park a week on Wednesday in the Betfred Cup quarter finals.

The two teams faced off four times in the 2017/18 campaign, with Motherwell winning twice at home, drawing once away and losing one in Gorgie.

Team news

Allan Campbell and Liam Donnelly will be assessed after returning from international duty with minor knocks.

Craig Tanner and Charles Dunne remain out long term, while Conor Sammon is ineligible to face his parent club.

Get your ticket in advance if you can

Both Motherwell and Hearts fans can get their tickets before turning up at the Fir Park through our ticketing website.

Adult tickets start at just £20, concessions £16 and kids aged under 15 get into all stands for £3.

You can watch it live online

If you’re based outside of the UK and Ireland, you can watch the match live from the comfort of your own home.

Just head over to our live streaming service and subscribe. Monthly packages cost just £12.

Hearts head to Fir Park on Saturday as the form team in Scottish football, but having lost on both visits to ML1 last term.

Here’s everything you need to know about the weekend’s opponents.

The undisputed league leaders

Four games, four wins. Hearts have been in red hot form so far in the Ladbrokes Premiership, scoring 10 goals and conceding just two.

Defeating Celtic and Kilmarnock 1-0, they also defeated Hamilton Academical and St Mirren 4-1.

The man in form

Steven Naismith will arrive at Fir Park with four league goals to his name already this campaign, including a hat-trick against St Mirren last time out.

But it is his international form that has drawn the most attention this week. Having been preferred to Leigh Griffiths in attack for Scotland, he got the touch that helped put the nation ahead against Albania through an own goal, before netting himself later on.

Levein’s decision

Manager Craig Levein is yet to decide whether he will be in the dugout on Saturday, having recovered from a health scare that briefly saw him hospitalised a few weeks back.

Levein has returned to training and undertook his press duties on Thursday, but said he will make a late decision on whether he will be formally in charge, or leave it again to assistant Austin MacPhee.

Stephen Robinson spoke to the broadcast press ahead of his side’s clash with Hearts in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Here are the headlines from the press conference.

On domestic football returning this weekend

“We’ve had five boys away on international duty and you use the opportunity to give a couple of days off to the boys that worked hard, but then you’re back into it again so yesterday was the first day we had the boys back.

“Obviously we’ve done a lot of prep in the background with the boys that were here ahead of the Hearts game. But I’m looking forward to having everybody back again and having a good season ahead of the game.

“In the three games leading up to the break we performed really well and got some very good results, so yeah is a bit stop-start which it always is but it’s the same for everybody. So we don’t use excuses. Instead we take the opportunity to try and improve what we can and build on what we’ve already done.”

On opponents Hearts

“Obviously Hearts have started very, very well and I guess there’s a little bit of incentive for us to be the first side to beat them this season, but we always have incentive for our home games.

“We had a brilliant home record last season and we aim to keep doing that this season, so it’s a big game no matter who we play.

“We know Hearts are going to be a strong team, it’ll be physical, and we have to match that. But I think we’re playing some very good stuff at the moment and it’s going to be a good game.”

On Craig Levein’s return to work

“We wish Craig well and I’m glad he’s back in the fold again and it would be really nice to see him in the dugout.

“We all have tough jobs so it would be great to see him. But I don’t think it will affect the performances of either teams, Hearts have good staff there too who I’m sure will be more than capable of dealing with that.

“I try not to get too involved with other managers on the touchline to be honest, it can distract from the game, so I don’t think it would make a difference for us either way.”

Stephen Robinson says league leaders Hearts will present a physical challenge at Fir Park on Saturday which the Steelmen will have to face up to.

The Motherwell boss is confident his team will be able to do that, meaning it will come down to which side can get the ball down and play to ensure victory.

Stephen Robinson’s men take on Hearts at Fir Park on Saturday, looking to follow up on a first league win against Dundee.

Here’s a look at the game in numbers.

297

Saturday’s clash with Hearts is the 297th meeting between the two teams in all competitions.

This weekend’s Premiership match comes 126 years after the first ever meeting between the two, which took place back in 1892.

Should ‘Well defeat the Edinburgh outfit, it would be a 92nd victory for the club against Hearts.

16

The combined number of goals both the Steelmen and the Jambos have scored in the league this season.

Saturday’s encounter puts the divisions top scoring sides up against on another, with the two outscoring both Celtic and Aberdeen in the opening four games of the campaign.

In theory, it should make for an exciting encounter on Saturday.

Zero

The number of defeats Hearts have suffered this season in all competitions.

Craig Levein’s men sit top of the table, having won eight of their nine games in 2018/19, drawing just once.

They arrive at Fir Park on the back of seven straight victories, defeating the likes of Celtic, Kilmarnock and St Mirren en route.

17

Since the 2000/01 campaign, Motherwell and Hearts have met each other 30 times at Fir Park.

In those games, ‘Well have won on 17 occasions against the side from the capital.

Hearts have won eight of those, with the remaining five games ending as a draw.