Hearts striker set to renew his on-field battle with Aberdeen defender

But while the two players might fancy their chances if it kicks off when they come up against one another again this weekend, Sandy Clark reckons the two players are really just a pair of big softies at heart.

The last SPL meeting between Hearts and Aberdeen was back in October and the game exploded into life when the Tynecastle striker accused the Dons player of play acting and "screaming like a baby" following what looked to be a fairly innocuous challenge in the early stages. Kyle, who went on to have the last laugh by scoring the winner that day, believed the Dons defender had tried to get him sent off by going down too easily and squared up to him on the park before launching into a war of words with his opponent after the final whistle.

However, former Jambos striker Clark, below, has worked with both players during his time as a coach at Kilmarnock and Pittodrie and believes the bravado they show on the park bears no relation to their manner off of it.

While conceding that games between these two sides are often explosive, he doesn't reckon there will be any repeat tomorrow at Tynecastle, insisting that both players will remain 100 per cent committed to their cause.

Clark laughed: "The two of them think that they're hard men, but they're not. They're always fully committed on the park but they are big softies at heart.

"I know both of them well. Kevin has been doing really well at Hearts and I am not surprised by that in the slightest. He's a big, strong player and he's got a great eye for goal so he's fitted in well to the side there. I think someone like Zander can really come out of the traps tomorrow and perform well. That will be a key area of the game and the outcome will very much depend on how well those two do against one another.

"I would expect it to be a 50-50 one but you can be sure that neither of them will be holding back either, that's just the way that they are as players. Kevin is a real character and if he has an opinion on anything then he will just come out and say it and you have got to admire him for that.

"He might not always be right but the one thing that you can be sure of is that it is always an honest opinion that you get from him.

"Sometimes people might take umbrage at that but he is great to have in your dressing room because it makes sure that the truth gets out and that everyone discusses things before they are allowed to fester."

Tomorrow's game will be Hearts' first competitive action since 20 November, while Aberdeen have not played since former manager Mark McGhee was sacked, and Clark reckons the visitors will have a point to prove.

He continued: "When you look at both of these clubs, I don't think there is too much between them. I think between Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs, one of them will be claiming to be the third biggest club in Scotland come the end of the season, although the three of them are probably on a par.

"At the moment Hearts are in a healthier position than Aberdeen on the field of play, simply because of what has happened with Mark.

"I do think though that the Aberdeen players will have had a big lift because of it as well. I know that, under Neale Cooper, they have been back to a lot of the training methods that Jimmy Calderwood, myself and Jimmy Nicholl used with them when we were up there.

"They've had a good week's training from what I can see and I think they will be more than ready."

Having said all of that though, Clark does believe the Jambos will remain favourites to keep the points at home this weekend.

"Without a doubt Hearts will go into the game as favourites. They have got the facilities at Heriot-Watt to allow them to continue to train during the bad weather and they have been training on the beach as well, so they will have been able to keep their fitness levels up despite everything.

"They haven't played for a few weeks but I am sure that each and every single one of the Hearts players will just be desperate to get back out there and perform again, that's what it's all about.

"They were on a decent run before the games were called off and they will be desperate to keep that going now.

"Being at home will also be a big advantage for them.

"The one thing that will work in Aberdeen's favour is that I think the weight will be off their players' shoulders a bit now that the decision has been taken. Their manager being under so much pressure like that was bound to work its way down to the players but I feel that will have lifted from them now.

"It wasn't working under Mark McGhee, it's as plain and simple as that, and it will be interesting to see the team that Neale Cooper picks for the game tomorrow.

"I am pretty certain that guys like Derek Young, who have been out of the side, will come back into contention and that the team will have a more experienced look to it".

The fact that the Dons don't yet have a new manager in place won't faze the squad because Clark believes there is a strong enough backbone of experience players running through their side.

"They've got a lot of guys who have been over the course before. Jamie Langfield in goals has a lot of experience, as has Zander in the centre of defence, there's also Paul Hartley in the middle of the park as well.

"They've got a real spine of experience in their squad."