Falkirk vs Hearts — Match Preview
A Saturday showdown with significant consequences takes place at the Falkirk Stadium on 13 December 2025. Heart of Midlothian arrive as the league leaders, sitting top of the Scottish Premiership with 35 points after a massive 2-1 victory away at Celtic. They will look to consolidate their title charge against a Falkirk side that sits 7th on 21 points. The Bairns are winless in their last three matches and desperate to climb back into the top six, but they face a Hearts team brimming with confidence under Derek McInnes.
Falkirk vs Hearts — Match Info
- Competition: Scottish Premiership (Matchday 17)
- Venue: Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk (Capacity: 7,937)
- Date: Saturday, 13 December 2025
- Kickoff: 12:00 GMT | 13:00 CET | 07:00 ET
- Referee: Calum Scott
Falkirk vs Hearts — Match Stakes
Falkirk (7th — 21 pts):
- Win → Moves to 24 pts; potentially breaks into the Top 6
- Draw → Stops the recent rot but risks losing ground to Dundee Utd and Aberdeen
- Loss → Extends winless run to 4; gap to top half widens
Hearts (1st — 35 pts):
- Win → Moves to 38 pts; guarantees top spot and puts pressure on Celtic/Rangers
- Draw → A stumble that invites the Old Firm back into the immediate chase
- Loss → A shock defeat that could surrender the league leadership depending on other results
Falkirk vs Hearts — Team News
Falkirk:
- Oliver G. — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Lang T. — Out (Foot Injury)
- Maciver R. — Out (Ankle Injury)
- Neilson L. — Out (Ankle Injury)
- Nesbitt A. — Out (Foot Injury)
Hearts:
- Baningime B. — Out (Muscle Injury)
- Nieuwenhof C. — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Pollock F. — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Gordon C. — Available (Returned to fitness)
- Shankland L. — Available (Star striker)
Falkirk vs Hearts — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Falkirk
- 06/12 — 0–3 vs Hibernian (Premiership)
- 04/12 — 0–0 vs Motherwell (Premiership)
- 30/11 — 0–0 vs Rangers (Premiership)
- 22/11 — 3–0 vs Dundee Utd (Premiership)
- 08/11 — 1–1 vs Livingston (Premiership)
Hearts
- 07/12 — 2–1 vs Celtic (Premiership)
- 04/12 — 1–1 vs Kilmarnock (Premiership)
- 29/11 — 0–0 vs Motherwell (Premiership)
- 23/11 — 0–1 vs Aberdeen (Premiership)
- 09/11 — 1–1 vs Dundee Utd (Premiership)
Falkirk vs Hearts — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 27/09/2025 — Hearts 3–0 Falkirk (Premiership)
- 17/08/2024 — Falkirk 2–0 Hearts (League Cup)
- 09/02/2020 — Falkirk 0–1 Hearts (Scottish Cup)
- 21/03/2015 — Falkirk 0–3 Hearts (Championship)
- 24/01/2015 — Hearts 2–3 Falkirk (Championship)
Falkirk vs Hearts — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Falkirk (4-2-3-1)
Hogarth; Adams, Henderson, Donaldson, McCann; Spencer, Tait; Ross, Agyeman, Miller; Graham
Hearts (4-2-3-1)
Gordon; Oyegoke, Kent, Halkett, Kingsley; Devlin, Spittal; Forrest, Grant, Vargas; Shankland
Falkirk vs Hearts — Impact Bench
Falkirk: Shanley (Goal threat), Yeats (Midfield energy)
Hearts: Boyce (Late finisher), Oda (Pace on the wing)
Falkirk vs Hearts — Tactical Analysis
Falkirk
John McGlynn’s side will likely set up to frustrate Hearts, using a compact 4-2-3-1 block. They have struggled for goals recently (failed to score in their last 3 games), so the emphasis will be on defensive solidity and hitting Hearts on the counter through the pace of Calvin Miller and Ethan Ross. They must stop crosses into the box to neutralize Shankland.
Hearts
Coming off a massive win at Parkhead, Hearts will look to dominate possession. With Cammy Devlin anchoring the midfield, they will push full-backs high to create overloads. Lawrence Shankland is the focal point; if Falkirk sit too deep, Hearts have the quality from distance (Spittal/Grant) to punish them. The key is patience against a stubborn Falkirk defense.
Falkirk vs Hearts — Key Battles
- Donaldson vs Shankland — physical battle in the box
- Spencer vs Devlin — fight for midfield control
- Miller vs Oyegoke — pace vs power on the flank
- Hogarth vs Vargas — goalkeeper needs a big performance
Falkirk vs Hearts — Spotlight Players
Falkirk — Brad Spencer
The midfielder is the heartbeat of this Falkirk team. In a game where they will have less possession, his ability to break up play and launch counter-attacks is vital.
Hearts — Lawrence Shankland
The league’s premier marksman. After leading the line in the win against Celtic, he will be hungry to add to his tally against a Falkirk defense that just conceded three to Hibs.
Falkirk vs Hearts — Prediction
Falkirk 0–2 Hearts
Falkirk are brave at home, but their recent goal drought is concerning. Hearts are flying high after beating the champions and should have too much quality and momentum. Expect a professional away performance from the league leaders.
Falkirk vs Hearts — Betting Insights
- Hearts to Win — High Probability
- Under 2.5 Goals — Possible (Falkirk struggle to score)
- Shankland to Score — Likely
Falkirk vs Hearts — Where to Watch
- UK: Premier Sports / Sky Sports Football (Check local listings)
- International: Hearts TV (Subscription), CBS Sports (USA)
Falkirk vs Hearts — FAQs
Q: When is the Falkirk vs Hearts match?
A: The match kicks off on Saturday, 13 December 2025, at 12:00 GMT.
Q: Where is the match being played?
A: It will be played at the Falkirk Stadium.
Q: Is Craig Gordon playing for Hearts?
A: Yes, he has returned to fitness and is expected to start.
Q: Who is the referee?
A: Calum Scott has been appointed as the match referee.
Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community
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