Image source, SNSHearts right-back Gerald Taylor is facing a long-term lay-off with suspected ACL damage so teenager Adam Forrester is set to be promoted to the squad. Frankie Kent returns after an ankle injury but Calem Nieuwenhof (hamstring) is still out.
Ross County will be without defenders George Harmon (ankle), Ricki Lamie (Achilles) and Josh Reid, who is still recovering from a heavy knock.
Image source, SNSRoss County and defender Connor Randall visit Hearts on Saturday
Connor Randall praised his Ross County team for showing a "never say die spirit" after salvaging a point against St Johnstone last weekend.
"When you get a late equaliser it does feel a bit like a victory, we've shown a never say die spirit within this team," said Randall, 28.
"The game is never over, we were two goals down with not long left and we clawed it back to get an important point.
"It's been a tough start to the season for Hearts and they find themselves in a position in the league which they wouldn't expect but I don't think we can look too much into that.
"We just have to look at the squad, the amount of good players that they've got and the game will be a challenge. They've got one of the best squads in the league and we're expecting a very tough test.
"We need to be prepared, try and stop their strengths and exploit their weaknesses, that's what we do for most teams."
The full-back hopes County can improve their away form when they travel to Tynecastle to face bottom of the table Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
"Tynecastle can be a tough place to go, it will be bouncing on Saturday, you've got to manage those parts of the game as well," he added.
"We need to put in a performance that we can be proud of and hopefully get a positive result.
"We want to improve on our away form, it's something the gaffer and everyone as a collective has talked about.
"Last season, when the gaffer came in we had a good run of form at home and were making it a difficult place for people to come and we’ve continued that this season.
"If we can improve away from home and carry on picking up points at home, it will be massive for us."
Image source, SNSHearts have lost just one of their 15 top-flight home games against Ross County (W6 D8), going down 0-1 in March 2017.
After their 2-1 win in March last season, Ross County could win back-to-back top-flight meetings with Hearts for the first time, with this the 30th such clash between the two clubs.
Hearts have just one point from six Scottish Premiership matches this season (W0 D1 L5), the fewest by any side at this stage of a season in the competition since Dundee in 2018-19 (0).
The last side to have one or fewer points from their opening seven games in the division were in fact Ross County in 2014-15 (0).
Ross County are winless in their last 19 away league games (D7 L12) since a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock in September 2023.
The last side to go 20 consecutive top-flight away games without winning were Dundee from August 2004 to August 2012, while the last to do so without being relegated during the run were St Mirren from November 2009 to October 2010.
Ross County have conceded more second-half goals (eight) than any side in the Scottish Premiership this season, with this also accounting for a league-high 73% of their total goals shipped this term.
Image source, SNSGeorge Harmon is set to be out for a "significant time" with an ankle injury, Ross County manager Don Cowie confirms.
The left-back, who has been a regular in the side this season, suffered the blow in the victory over Dundee a fortnight ago.
Cowie says the injury is a "bad" one and it could require surgery.
"We're now waiting for a second opinion on his ankle," he added.
"In terms of whether he may need surgery, he may not, it just depends on how we want his rehab to go, but he is going to be out for a significant time.
“We're waiting on Josh Reid to see how he is, but it's good to have Ricki Lamie and Will Nightingale back on the pitch."
Cowie's County travel to managerless Hearts on Saturday.
The Tynecastle club sacked Steven Naismith on Sunday following a nine-game winless start to the season, but Cowie says his former side are "still a very good football team".
Given the change in the dugout, Cowie says he has to prepare for every possibility.
"They’ve got a good squad of players and there's a real expectation and demand there," added Cowie.
"It’s a little bit unknown, there’s an interim manager in charge so you don’t know how many changes might come, whether it’s a shape change, personnel change, so we’ve got to be on our guard and prepare for whatever comes."
Image source, SNSDon Cowie has been speaking to the media before Ross County's Scottish Premiership trip to Hearts this weekend.
Here are the key points by the County boss:
He says managerless Hearts are "still a very good football team with a good squad of players" despite their poor start to the season.
Although they came back from two goals down late on, Cowie is "disappointed" County only got a point against St Johnstone at the weekend.
He insists County are "very strong at home" but need to "add points away from home" as they prepare for the trip to Edinburgh.
County faced St Johnstone without Craig Levein last weekend and face managerless Hearts this Saturday, and Cowie added: "You don’t know how many changes will come, so we’ve got to be on our guard and prepare for whatever comes."
Cowie also confirms George Harmon will be out "for a significant time" with an ankle injury.
Ross Morren
Fan writer
Ross County have already had their fair share of late drama in Dingwall this season.
Akil Wright's stoppage-time equaliser against St Johnstone has continued a recent trend of late goals.
There have been goals in the 95th minute or later in three of the four Premiership matches this season.
Last campaign, County were leading 3-1 against Motherwell at Fir Park with less than five minutes to go. That two-goal lead disappeared in a matter of minutes as the home side fought back to earn a 3-3 draw.
For County fans, it certainly wasn't a happy drive home that evening as the draw felt like a defeat after throwing away a two-goal lead so late on.
Saturday's match felt very similar to that draw at Fir Park last season. Thankfully, it was roles reversed with County on the right side of the comeback.
It was a draw that felt like a victory to County fans, while St Johnstone fans will have travelled back to Perth stunned at how their side threw away their lead so late on.
The Staggies have now scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of matches than any other top-flight side this season, while only Dundee can better County's record of points gained from losing positions.
Those stats show the strong character and never-say-die attitude Don Cowie has instilled in his side, which could play a big part in their success this season.
Watch the best of the action from Dingwall as Ross County and St Johnstone share six goals in a Premiership thriller.
(Available to UK users only)
We asked for your views on Ross County's 3-3 draw against St Johnstone.
Here's what you said:
Graham: We started well and finished well. Ronan Hale should have had a second before and we should have been out quicker to stop the goal before the break. That said, both their free-kicks were difficult to see. Great substitutions by Don Cowie and a gutsy performance to the end.
Ron: Frustrating game, albeit an exciting end and the squad showed great spirit. We should have been three up by the middle of the first half but didn't take our chances. St Johnstone did well to get back in the game but were helped by some strange refereeing decisions, not least the goalie's barge on Jordan White. Akil Wright fast becoming a local hero!
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone have conceded four goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, no team has conceded more in the Premiership this season.
Ryan Leak attempted 60 passes in this game, the highest total for a Ross County player in the Premiership this season.
Nicholas Clark has scored two goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), no St Johnstone player has more.
Ross County have won two points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Dundee (three) have recovered more.
Don Cowie believes Ross County fully deserved the point after they came from behind to draw 3-3 with St Johnstone.
Akil Wright's 97th-minute goal earned a dramatic draw for Ross County in a six-goal Scottish Premiership thriller with managerless St Johnstone.
Ronan Hale opened the scoring for the hosts when he latched on to Josh Nisbet's pass and sent a low effort beyond Ross Sinclair in the St Johnstone goal.
However, the visitors' response was emphatic. Drey Wright equalised just before half-time with a powerful strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
And Nicky Clark netted twice from free-kicks - including a stunning second - to put the Perth side in control in their first outing since Craig Levein's sacking.
But Alex Samuel made it a nervy finish in Dingwall when he headed in from close range and Wright completed the comeback with a spectacular header from Jack Greives' free-kick.
County rise to eighth in the table while St Johnstone stay 10th.
Give us your thoughts on County's performance here, external.
Image source, SNSRoss County manager Don Cowie:
"It was a strange game, I thought we were really in control of the match when we went 1-0 up and probably should have been further ahead.
"When Nicky Clark's on the pitch there's always a chance he can punish you and he did that in the second half with two excellent free-kicks but we kept going, showed great character and went right to the end and got a point which I think we deserved.
"At home there is that never say die attitude, we want this to be a really hard place for teams to come to get points.
"We're a really fit team so we go right to the end and that was evident again today.
"My overriding thought is that I'm really proud of the group again, they've shown great character to get a point out of a really challenging situation."
Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSCounty have scored three goals in the last 15 minutes of matches, a feat that no other top-flight side can match. That's also half of the goals they've netted this season.
The point maintains the impressive home record under Cowie, who has suffered just two defeats in Dingwall since taking charge.
While the overall performance will unlikely fill Cowie with joy, the fight and determination to come back from 3-1 down to steal a point certainly should.
Don Cowie makes one change to his starting XI from last weekend's 2-0 victory over Dundee.
Ryan Leak is in to replace George Harmon who picked up an injury against Dundee and drops out of the whole squad.
Image source, SNSAndy Kirk takes interim charge of St Johnstone following Craig Levein's sacking.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Brown, Leak, Wright, Randall, Hale, Chilvers, Campbell, Lopata, Nisbet, White.
Substitutes: Hamilton, Loturi, Grieves, Denholm, Telder, Efete, Samuel, Brophy, Smith.
St Johnstone: Sinclair, Raymond, Cameron, Sanders, Neilson, Holt, Clark, Wright, Smith, Sprangler, Kirk.
Substitutes: Rae, Keltjens, Carey, MacPherson, McPake, Bright, Dair, Essel, Kucheriavyi.
Image source, SNSRoss County have doubts over George Harmon and Josh Reid but Max Sheaf and Will Nightingale have returned to training. Ricki Lamie (Achilles) remains out.
St Johnstone pair Benjamin Kimpioka and Adama Sidibeh are suspended while Jack Sanders is back from a ban.
Graham Carey returns from a short-term injury, while Uche Ikpeazu (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) are still absent.
Image source, SNSJames Brown says Ross County must be ready to match managerless St Johnstone's "scrap and fight" on Saturday as his side look to build momentum after a mood-changing first win of the league season.
The Staggies are looking to make it back-to-back victories in Dingwall following last weekend's 2-0 triumph over Dundee.
"It was a big win, it was coming," said Irish defender Brown.
"We were more clinical and the better team on the day. It's all about keeping clean sheets and building on that.
"A win enhances everything, everyone comes in with better form, we can't wait for the weekend rather than being in a slump. It just builds confidence, if we get a good run and we see ourselves higher up in the table even this early on, it gives us motivation to keep going."
St Johnstone, who have lost four of their opening five games, travel north with Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland in interim charge following the sacking of Craig Levein this week.
"It's huge and we need to make our home games count," added Brown.
"St Johnstone always fight, it's always a tough game. We expect them to come here and give it their all, they always scrap and fight so we need to try and match them in that."
Dundee, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Ross County, St Johnstone and St Mirren will each take in £1.6m in solidarity payments due to Celtic's Champions League qualification, with Aberdeen and Dundee United receiving £1m and £650,000 going to Hearts and Livingston. (Mail), external
Image source, SNSRoss County have lost two of their last three Scottish Premiership games against St Johnstone (D1), as many as their previous 15 beforehand (W5 D8 L2).
St Johnstone won their last away league game at Ross County 1-0 in February last season, last winning successive such trips in February 2017 (4 in a row).
After beating Dundee 2-0 last time out, Ross County are looking to win back-to-back league games for only the second time since the start of last season, having last done so in November/December 2023.
St Johnstone have lost their last two away league games (both 2-0) against Dundee United and Hibernian. They last lost three in a row on the road in January 2023, while they last did so without scoring in January 2022 (run of four).
No side has had more shots following high turnovers in the Scottish Premiership this season than Ross County (8, level with Celtic).
Ross County are awaiting news of 23-year-old defender George Harmon's ankle injury before Saturday's home Premiership meeting with St Johnstone. (Press and Journal - subscription), external
Image source, SNSCan County make it back-to-back wins this weekend?
Ross County are "striving for consistency" says Don Cowie as he looks to build on their first league win of the season.
Akil Wright's opener and Jordan White's penalty saw off a previously free-scoring Dundee side last Saturday at the Global Energy Stadium, where Cowie stresses County have been "strong" during his tenure.
The manager wants another win - this time against St Johnstone - to gather momentum and take advantage of being one of just two Scottish Premiership games this weekend.
"It was a really good team performance, I thought we were really solid defensively [against Dundee]," said Cowie.
"We always believe we have the capabilities to score goals, so if we have that platform and that foundation of being solid at the back, it gives us a great opportunity to win games.
"It's about consistency, we're striving for that. It takes time for people to gel, the window is now closed so we know who we're working with, everyone is getting familiar with each other and now it's a case of building on what we've done in the first five league games.
"The group takes a lot of belief on the back of the last two league performances."
Managerless St Johnstone will be without forwards Adama Sidibeh and Benji Kimpioka through suspension and Cowie views it as a chance to climb the table.
"History shows we've been really strong at home, and we just want to continue that. We relish playing here, having good home form is a great foundation to have," he added.
"This gives us a real opportunity to get up the league table and get points on the board."
