Hearts v Aberdeen: Hosts can end year on a high and leapfrog opponents

Heart of Midlothian ended a winless run of four games with a resounding 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock earlier this week. And Ian Cathro’s side have the chance to climb back into the Ladbrokes Premiership top three before the turn of the year by beating Aberdeen.

But the visitors come to Tynecastle off the back of two successive wins themselves, and know that three points here would see them some six points clear of their opponents in the table.

So who’ll come out on top? Ladbrokes News takes you through the best bets for this game. And although there’s not a market for it, you can bank on this one being a real post-Christmas cracker.

Back both teams to find the net

This one may have finished a stalemate back in August when the two sides met at Pittodrie, but the 23 shots in that game suggest it could have been a very different story indeed.

In fact, both sides have scored in five of the last seven meetings between Hearts and Aberdeen.

No surprise then that it’s 8/13 for that to soon become six in eight. Those odds may be short, but they certainly represent value, especially with the likes of Adam Rooney and Jamie Walker on the pitch.

Walker has a habit of opening the scoring

And the latter has already scored first in four games this season. Already with nine goals to his name, Walker is two away from equalling his best ever tally in front of goal, and we’re only halfway through the season.

We’d certainly be tempted by the 7/1 on offer for him to net first here.

High-scoring affair? Almost certainly

Excluding Celtic, no side in the Premiership has scored more goals than Hearts or Aberdeen. The latter have found the net on 34 occasions already this season, while the former have managed four more from their opening 20 games.

The Dons have conceded a goal every game on average, while the Jam Tarts have shipped 25, that’s more than any other side in the top five, and only 15 off their tally for the whole of last campaign.

We’re not ruling out over 3.5 goals to be scored here, and at 2/1, it could be the best bet of the day.

Can we call a winner?

This pair are so evenly matched that a draw might well be the final outcome. But, with the home advantage, our money is going on Hearts at 17/10 to take all three points.

Click here for a full list of Hearts v Aberdeen odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing