Preview: Cercle Brugge vs. Hearts – prediction, team news, lineups.

Hearts, looking to rebound from their first Conference League defeat last time out, will meet Cercle Brugge at Jan Breydelstadion on Thursday evening in matchday four of the league round. The visitors are 12th in the table with six points after three games, while the hosts are 15th with four points from their first three games.

Hearts have experienced tremendous problems this season, with uneven performances in both domestic and European tournaments making it difficult to gain momentum and earn key results. Their season began promisingly with a 0-0 draw against Rangers under Steven Naismith, but their form subsequently deteriorated as they lost eight consecutive games, leading to the resignation of their manager.

Liam Fox took over as temporary manager, leading the team to a draw and a loss in the league while also scoring their first win of the season, a 2-1 triumph over Dinamo Minsk on Conference League matchday one. Neil Critchley was eventually appointed as permanent manager, and after an immediate improvement in form that saw them win three of their first five games, including 4-0 and 2-0 victories to begin his tenure, the Jambos have since suffered three consecutive defeats heading into this match.

That run includes their first Conference League loss, a frustrating 2-0 setback to Heidenheim despite dominating much of the game, as well as more expected losses to Rangers and Celtic. Critchley will be hoping his team can turn things around with a win on Thursday, which might propel them into the top eight depending on other results, especially given Cercle Brugge’s recent troubles. The hosts, who finished fifth in the pre-split and fourth in the post-split of the 2023-24 Belgian Pro League season, have been extremely disappointing thus far this season.

Miron Muslic, who has been in command since September 2022, has managed just four wins, three draws, and eight loses in 15 league games this season, leaving the team in 14th place. The Green and Black have also struggled in the Conference League, placing 15th with only four points from three games, one victory, one draw, and one loss. They began the league round with a dominant 6-2 victory over St Gallen, but then suffered a dismal 3-1 setback to Vikingur before securing a 0-0 draw with LASK last time out.

That tie ended Cercle Brugge’s three-game winning streak in all competitions, and they have subsequently lost back-to-back games to RSC Anderlecht (5-0) and Standard Liege (1-0), leaving them desperate for a win tonight.

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