St. Mirren vs Hearts Prediction: Braga to keep Jambos on a roll

Hearts have ignited the Scottish Premiership season and are setting a scorching pace following their weekend demolition of champions Celtic at Tynecastle. Derek McInnes' side lead the way by a whopping eight points from a lethargic Hoops side in second spot. The Jambos now must prove they can cope in the glare of the spotlight as league leaders and as much vaunted title contenders.

They get the chance to do just that with a trip to Paisley to face St Mirren on Wednesday evening (KO 19:45). Read on for my St Mirren vs Hearts predictions, supported by the latest team news and match odds for this Scottish Premiership clash.

Football Odds

Today's Football Fixtures

Team News

The Buddies will be without midfielder Alex Gogic after he collected a straight red card in the weekend loss at Dundee United, a third defeat in succession for St Mirren. Jayden Richardson is also ruled out as he completes his ban for a red card in the home loss to Aberdeen.

Frankie Kent and Finlay Pollock miss out for leaders Hearts, though summer signing Christian Borchgrevink could be back in the matchday squad for the first time since the league-opening win over Aberdeen in August.

St. Mirren vs Hearts Odds

The home side are 3/1 to inflict a first Premiership loss of the season on tearaway leaders Hearts. The visiting Jambos are 19/20 to collect another victory, while the draw at St Mirren Park is priced at 13/5.

Over 2.5 goals trades at 10/11 and both teams to find the net in Paisley is priced at 4/5.

Hearts to win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 13/10

Hearts are a shade of odds on to win this contest and it's worth padding out that price by taking out the 1-0 win and going 11/8 on a victory for the Jambos in a game featuring over 1.5 goals.

McInnes' side are sure to be buzzing after dispatching Celtic in convincing fashion at Tynecastle on Sunday. It ended 3-1 and if any side was flattered, it was the champions, who had Kasper Schmeichel to thank for sparing more blushes late on.

Hearts have now scored three goals in three of their last four games and in five of the nine they've played in the Premiership this season.

Lawrence Shankland has put the ills of last season behind him and is being superbly aided by Alexandrios Kyziridis and Claudio Braga – making Hearts the leading scorers in Scotland's top flight with 22 goals in nine games.

Claudio Braga anytime goalscorer @ 6/4

Braga, who was operating in the second tier of Norwegian football before Hearts snapped him up, is proving a real asset.

He didn't score on Sunday but he was brought down for the penalty Shankland converted to make it 3-1, and while he was the only one of the front three not to find the net, he was arguably the most impressive of the trio.

He has eight goals in league and cup already, including a brace in the win away at Kilmarnock recently when he was outstanding. Five of those goals have come on the road and he can find another for the league leaders on Wednesday night.

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