It has been a difficult start for Wouter Vrancken at Heart of Midlothian, who have lost each of their four competitive matches under their new manager. Another adverse result here would lead to questions being asked of the new boss.Dundee United arrive in Edinburgh hoping to pick up at least a point. Will they succeed, or can Vrancken get off the mark with last season’s Scottish Premiership runners-up?Draw – 3/1 with Sky BetDundee United to score first – 5/2 with MidniteClaudio Braga to score any time – 11/8 with SBKHearts vs Dundee head to head overviewDate: Sunday 9th August.Kick-off: 3pm.Venue: Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.Where to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.Referee: Kevin Clancy.VAR: Yes.Last meeting: 31st January 2026; Dundee United 0-3 Hearts.Last 10 matches: Hearts – 6 wins; Dundee United – 2 wins; Draws – 2.Favourite to win: Hearts.Hearts vs Dundee predicted lineupsHearts expected lineup: Reus; Altena, McCart, McEntee, Milne; Guendouz, Renaud, Magnusson, Kyziridis; Braga, Kabore.Dundee United expected lineup: Walton; Rawlins, Iovu, Forbes, Ferry; Sevelj, Tait, Agyei; Randall, Rose, Sapsford.Hearts vs Dundee predictionsIt has been a tough start to life in Scottish football for Wouter Vrancken, who was appointed as the new Heart of Midlothian manager this summer.Four competitive games at the helm have produced four defeats for Vrancken’s side, whose Champions League and now Europa League hopes are all but over.Hearts were beaten 6-0 on aggregate by Sturm Graz in a Champions League qualifier, before going down to a 6-1 defeat by Benfica in the first leg of their preliminary Europa League tie. Hearts can still qualify for the Conference League, but even that is not guaranteed. Most disappointing of all, you could argue, was the 2-1 defeat by Aberdeen on the opening weekend of the Premiership season.Hearts took the lead through Oisin McEntee in the 35th minute and were still 1-0 up in the latter stages of the game. But then Aberdeen struck an equaliser just before the clock struck 90, before Hearts were reduced to 10 men when Stuart Findlay was given his marching orders. To compound their woes, there was still time for Kevin Nisbet to notch the winner from the penalty spot for Aberdeen.It is too early for panic, but if Hearts hope to challenge for the Premiership title once again this season, they cannot afford to fall too far behind Celtic.The Hoops will surely be more consistent this term than they were last, so Hearts should be striving to remain within touching distance of them for as long as possible. Of course, that will not be easy given the financial disparity between the Old Firm and the rest. But Hearts would be frustrated if they were in effect ruled out of the race in autumn due to a slow start.Hearts vs Dundee betting tipsHeart of Midlothian take on Dundee United in their second game of the Scottish Premiership season.Will Hearts bounce back?Wouter Vrancken will be desperate to pick up his first victory as Hearts manager before the pressure starts to build, but he could be frustrated once again this weekend.It has been a summer of change for Hearts and it is likely to take them a few weeks to get up to speed.Four consecutive defeats at the start of 2026/27 will not have done any good to the morale within the camp.Dundee United held Rangers to a 1-1 draw last time out, so they are a perfectly capable team. Hearts may have to settle for a point. Back a draw at 3/1 with Sky Bet Hosts may need comebackHearts took the lead against Aberdeen last time out in the league, but they may need to come from behind this weekend.Dundee United have had nine full days to prepare for this match, whereas Hearts were in action in Portugal on Thursday night.The heavy loss to Benfica will have taken a lot out of Hearts both mentally and physically, and Dundee United can take advantage of that by starting quickly.Do not be surprised if the visitors to Tynecastle go 1-0 up in this one. Tip Dundee United to score first at 5/2 with Midnite Who will strike?Hearts used an attacking 4-4-2 formation against Benfica and found themselves exposed by superior opponents.That does not mean the system is not the right one for the Premiership, though, with Wouter Vrancke set to stick with it for the visit of Dundee United.Claudio Braga is now Hearts’ principal goal threat following the summer sale of Lawrence Shankland to Rangers.The Portuguese can open his account for 2026/27 in this crunch clash with Dundee United. Go for Claudio Braga to score any time at 11/8 with SBK Hearts vs Dundee latest oddsFind the latest Hearts vs Dundee betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.Hearts: 4/7 with Sky BetDraw: 10/3 with bet365Dundee: 4/1 with BetfredMore Scottish Premiership predictionsWe have plenty more Scottish Premiership predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.Important historical facts about Hearts and Dundee United for bettingHearts have gone eight games without keeping a clean sheet. Dundee United have scored 10 goals in their last five matches. This could be Will Ferry’s last appearance for Dundee United as he closes in on a move to Anderlecht.About the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. 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