Airdrie vs Hearts Prediction: Premiership outfit to show their class

Scottish Premiership side Hearts will be hoping to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup when they travel to Airdrie for fifth-round action on Sunday (17:00).

Hearts have lost in the Scottish Cup final in three of the last four seasons and last lifted the trophy in 2012, when thrashing city rivals Hibernian 5-1 at Hampden Park.

Airdrie have never gone past the fifth round of this competition, having last reached this stage in the 2008/09 campaign as Airdrie United, and their wait for a first quarter-final may go on.

Team News

Airdrie are without Liam McStravick, who picked up an ankle ligament strain, and fellow midfielder Murray Aiken.

Craig Watson is available after overcoming a rib injury, while Gabby McGill is back in light training and could be a part of the matchday squad.

Barrie McKay is missing for Hearts because of a knee injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of December, but Liam Boyce could shake off a muscle problem to play some part.

Match Odds

Airdrie are available at 7/2 to pick up the win in 90 minutes and move into the quarter-finals of the Scottish FA Cup, with the draw priced at 13/5 and Hearts the 4/6 favourites.

Lawrence Shankland has been in fine scoring form for Hearts this season and he is 8/11 to find the back of the net anytime, while former Jam Tarts striker Nikolay Todorov is 11/5 to score for Airdrie.

Hearts to win and under 2.5 total goals @ 3/1

Taking away the two Glasgow giants, Celtic and Rangers, Hearts have been the best-of-the-rest in the Scottish Premiership as they sit in third position, 12 points ahead of fourth-place Kilmarnock.

Steven Naismith's side have racked up six straight victories in all competitions and are on a 10-game unbeaten run, scoring 20 goals and conceding eight goals during this period.

Although playing in a division below Hearts, Airdrie will be no easy pushovers and they also head into the clash in solid form, winning five games during their current seven-match unbeaten run.

The Championship outfit will be eyeing another top-flight scalp after knocking St Johnstone out in the last round, but Hearts will offer a much sterner examination than the relegation-threatened Saints did.

The Jam Tarts extra quality should see them through to the last eight, but this could turn out to be a tight affair between two teams that have been solid at the back of late.

Seven of Airdrie's last eight games have produced under 2.5 goals, while the same bet has landed in five of Hearts' last 10 assignments.

Lawrence Shankland to score first @ 9/4

No player has been more crucial to a side in the Scottish Premiership this season than Scotland international Lawrence Shankland has been to Hearts.

The 28-year-old notched his 17th league goal of the season in the 1-0 at St Johnstone last time out to leave him top of the Golden Boot standings, four clear of Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski.

Shankland accounts for over 50 per-cent of the 33 goals Hearts have scored this season and he is in stellar form, having bagged four times in his last three appearances.

Of the forward's 17 league goals, eight have been the first of the match and he can be the first name on the scoreboard on Sunday.