Hearts have only lost one of their last eight home games against Motherwell in the Premiership, a 3-2 defeat in September 2019 and have won five.

However, Motherwell are unbeaten in four league meetings with Hearts, winning three and drawing one since a 1-0 defeat in December 2018.

Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Sportsound that fans should expect a "different energy level" from his side today, admitting they were "lethargic and passive due to playing against Celtic on a Sunday then Rangers on the Wednesday".

On the possibility of VAR in Scotland, he says: "Can team teams like Livingston afford to lose a potential £200,000 from the budget? Potentially not, but we've got to do it, we've got to help the officials out."

Motherwell boss Graham Alexander says the introduction of VAR is "100% worth doing" if the technology is "managed right and the time is stripped down to instant decisions".

"The Euros is a great example of how it was used properly," he tells BBC Sportsound. "There's so much at stake. There are big decisions being missed. The officials will welcome the support."

On potentially ending the day top of the table, Alexander adds: "We never talk about the league table. At the end of the season we will be, but not after six or seven games.

"We've had a strong run of results, but we know how hard we have to work to continue that."

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson tells BBC Sportsound that centre-half John Souttar will "100% be back" from his thigh injury after the international break.

"We were hopeful, but he could still feel it a little bit," he says.

"If we get a result today, it'll be a fantastic weekend. Motherwell are physically strong, the majority of their team have 200 or 300 games under their belt.

On possible VAR introduction: "If we could get it, it's affordable and it's run properly, I don't see why not. If you're asking me to choose between VAR and getting another striker in, I would probably pick another striker to be honest, but it would take the league forward."

Motherwell have sold out their 1,000 allocation for their visit to Hearts' home, but both clubs have written to the Scottish Professional Football League to seek clarification over the rules regarding away allocations.

Both Rangers and Celtic have used their traditional away sections to house season ticket holders whose normal seats are taken up by substitutes and other team officials amid ongoing social-distancing protocols.

Motherwell boss Graham Alexander and Hearts counterpart Robbie Neilson both talked yesterday about how essential to football are away fans, while Hibs head coach Jack Ross this week claimed the situation at Celtic Park and Ibrox is not "healthy" for the game.

Premiership clubs will meet next week to discuss the introduction of VAR for all top-tier matches and latter rounds of cup competitions.

The Scottish FA and SPFL will co-host a video conference from Hampden on 8 October.

The SFA is prepared to underwrite the training costs for match officials, but a sticking point could be how much clubs in lower leagues will have to contribute when they are unlikely to ever be used at their games.

Do you back the introduction of VAR in Scottish football? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

SPFL debutants Kelty Hearts will look to retain their four-point lead in the fourth tier as they host third-top Annan Athletic.

Second-top Stirling Albion are at home to Elgin City, with fifth-placed Forfar Athletic looking to take advantage of Edinburgh City being held at home by Cowdenbeath last night as they visit bottom side Stenhousemuir.

Dumbarton have been the surprise guys of League 1 and Stephen Farrell's side have the chance to regain the lead away to second bottom Peterhead with pacesetters Queen's Park not hosting Montrose until Sunday.

East Fife are in danger of becoming detached at the bottom as they visit pre-season favourites Falkirk.

Improving Alloa Athletic at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Cove Rangers is probably the division's game of the day.

Who would have predicted that, seven games into the Championship season, Hamilton Academical would be second bottom so soon after dropping out of the top flight - and that Inverness Caledonian Thistle would visiting as leaders?

The other side to come down from the Premiership are involved in what is probably the second tier's game of the day as Kilmarnock, currently second top, host fourth-placed Raith Rovers.

Meanwhile, Dunfermline Athletic, who against all predictions sit bottom, look for a first league victory for under-pressure manager Peter Grant as they visit Queen of the South.

United welcome back former Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew, who starts as Liam Smith misses out on the matchday squad, while midfielder Declan Glass and striker Marc McNulty miss out again through injury.

County manager Malky MacKay makes three changes from the 2-1 defeat by Motherwell.

Midfielder Ross Callachan and striker Jordan White drop to the bench, with defender Keith Watson missing out and Alex Samuel, Harry Clarke and Joseph Hungbo all come in.

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Cammy MacPherson and Craig Bryson return from injury on the bench for St Johnstone as manager Callum Davidson makes three changes from the team that lost to Hibs last weekend.

Defender Jamie McCart is suspended and Jordan Northcott and Hayden Muller drop out, with Brighton loanee Lars Dendoncker replaces him, fellow defender Efe Ambrose and striker Stevie May starting.

Dundee had a doubt over Leigh Griffiths after the on-loan Celtic striker went off against Rangers last weekend with an ankle complaint. It rules him out of today's match, with Jason Cummings leading the line solo.

Midfielder Paul McGowan replaces Max Anderson in Dundee's only other change.

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If any Hearts player is going to be a marked man by Motherwell today, it is going to be Liam Boyce.

The Northern Ireland striker has has also netted five goals in 10 league appearances against them.

Not only that, he has been involved in 21 goals in his last 21 Premiership starts, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists.

Indeed, Hearts have scored 12 goals in seven league matches this season - the most by a newly promoted side at this stage since Hibs in 2017-18 - and, with 15 points, they have made the best start by a promoted since they themselves won that number in 2015-16.

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In contrast to Malky Mackay at County, since Graham Alexander took charge at Fir Park in January, only Rangers (with 56) and Celtic (44) have won more points in the Premiership than Motherwell (42).

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Not only has Malky Mackay not won any of his seven Premiership games in charge of County, but the 49-year-old former Celtic centre-half has only won six of his last 39 league matches as a manager, including his time with Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic.

He's lost a whopping 24 of them. To be fair, he has won two League Cup games with County, against the might of Brora Rangers and Montrose, but can he notch his first Premiership win at Tannadice today?

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Liam Craig becomes St Johnstone's record appearance holder after being named in Callum Davidson's starting line-up at home to Dundee.

The 34-year-old midfielder will be playing for a 442nd time for the Perth side, surpassing the total reached not to long ago by former St Johnstone centre-half Steven Anderson.

Craig started his third spell at McDiarmid Park, if you include his initial loan spell from Falkirk, after arriving from Hibernian in 2015.

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Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay tells BBC Scotland how the club will operate their Covid-19 vaccination spot checks this afternoon.

"We hope to check roughly 20% of supporters, but we'll see how it goes," he says. "We'll take a sensible approach.

"We won't turn anyone away, but what we'll say to them is 'what you've shown us today won't actually allow you in in the future, but we will let you in today. But you better be aware that when it does become enforceable we will have a duty to enforce the law obviously.'"

Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has named the same side that swept aside Livingston at Tynecastle last weekend.

That means centre-back John Souttar, who is out with a thigh injury, does not make it, but winger Josh Ginnelly is back on the bench after missing the last two games.

Motherwell's Graham Alexander makes just one switch to the team that beat Ross County as Bevis Mugabi returns to the defence.

Ricki Lamie is the man who drops out the visiting line-up.

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It's a battle between United's lame attack and County leaky defence at Tannadice.

United have scored more than once in just one of their last 16 Premiership matches, while the 15 goals County have conceded in the top flight are more than any other side this season.

Most gamblers will be betting on a victory for either side at Tannadice as none of the last 14 top-flight meetings between them have been drawn, with the Tangerines winning nine and losing five of those.

The away side have usually come out on top in their recent encounters, with County winning 2-0 on their last visit to Tannadice in May.

Livingston's on-loan Liverpool left-back, Adam Lewis, has suffered a fractured metatarsal and faces three months out.

Nicky Devlin and Ben Williamson drop the bench for Martindale's men as full-back Jackson Longridge, midfielder Stephane Omeonga and winger Alan Forrest are in from the start.

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin names an unchanged side from last week's first league win over Aberdeen.

Striker Eamonn Brophy is available to start after coming off with a head knock in that game.

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Heart of Midlothian: Gordon, Smith, Halkett, Kingsley, Moore, Devlin, Baningime, Cochrane, McKay, Woodburn, Boyce.

Substitutes: Stewart, Haring, Walker, Mackay-Steven, Halliday, Gnanduillet, Ginnelly.

Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, Mugabi, Ojala, McGinley, Grimshaw, Slattery, O'Hara, Woolery, Van Veen, Watt.

Substitutes: Fox, Carroll, Lamie, Maguire, Amaluzor, Crawford, Shields.