Kristijan Trapanovski goes to ground inside the Dundee United box claiming a push from Marc Leonard, nothing in that though.

Hearts get up into United's final third but Claudio Braga is out-muscled by a defender and the ball trickles out for a goal-kick.

Dundee United's Will Ferry chucks a long thrown into the Hearts box where Stuart Findlay is wrestled to the ground and the visitors win a free-kick.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

I've spent the last hour or so trackside - certainly the apron isn't too clever.

But, to be honest, given the prolonged spell of grim weather we have seen, the groundstaff - who have been working round the clock to get this game on - deserve huge credit for managing to do just that.

You get a feeling they will be pretty busy after the match, trying to put the pitch back together after tonight's 90 minutes.

The weather itself is decent, the rain has stopped and the conditions or calm.

An important 90 minutes to come.

A peep of the whistle and we're under way at Tannadice.

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes tells BBC Sportsound: "Good on everybody involved to get the game on.

"This week, watching both keepers, we've landed on Alex [Schwolow]. I think both keepers have got very good qualities and my gut was telling me to go with Alex this time.

"Dundee United play a totally different system to Celtic so we're going to try and be as prepared as we can.

"It's a tough game tonight so we know we're going to have to play well.

"I thought in the game at Tynecastle we were fortunate to get a point. We've played two games this season that have been very close. I expect this one to be close as well but I think we've got enough in us to make that one point into three points tonight."

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Sportsound: "A lot of credit to the ground staff, lots of volunteers in today as well to help out so we're just delighted to have the game on.

"It's that time of year, it's winter, there are a lot of games. The pitch is not perfect but it's not any worse than some other teams in the league."

On new goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer starting tonight, Goodwin added: "We had to strengthen the goalkeeping department.

"We bring Ashley in to be number one, Dave Richards is obviously very disappointed but they're the difficult decisions I have to make."

On tonight's opponents, Goodwin added: "Hearts will be big favourites but we've performed well against them this season.

"We want to try and win the game, this is the start of a really difficult run of fixtures in the league.

"We've got lots of opportunity to get points on the board, a win tonight would put us a place above Aberdeen and close the gap on Falkirk and that's the incentive we need."

Just under 10 minutes until kick off, let's grab the thoughts of the managers.

After their game was called off last week due to a waterlogged pitch, the Tannadice surface is good to go tonight.

Maybe good is a stretch, but playable at least.

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Anyone missing out on a Saturday night steak this evening?

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

Never mind a steak on a Saturday night, Tannadice is the venue for a very high stakes Premiership date between leaders Hearts and top six chasing Dundee United.

Eighth placed United have 11 games before the split and they know there is very little margin for error in their quest for a top six spot.

Manager Jim Goodwin admitted as much in his pre-match press conference, saying "we have given ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb in terms of that gap between us and sixth."

So they could do with a victory tonight – however so could Hearts.

Derek McInnes’ side are continuing to impress at the Premiership summit where they are four points clear.

Another victory would further cement their title credentials and put even more daylight between them and their nearest challenges – Rangers and Celtic - who are in action tomorrow.

Derek McInnes has made three changes from last weekend's 2-2 draw at home to Celtic.

Alexander Schwolow replaces Craig Gordon in goals while Jordi Altena and Oisin McEntee start outfield. Jamie McCart and Michael Steinwender drop to the bench.

New signing Rogers Mato is on the bench for Hearts, could we see him feature tonight?

Image source, SNS

As a result of their postponed game against St Mirren last weekend, United haven't played since their 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Ayr United two weeks ago.

Jim Goodwin has made four changes to the side that started that game.

New signing Ashley Maynard-Brewer is straight into the starting line-up and replaces Dave Richards.

Ryan Strain, Kristijan Trapanovski and Nikolaj Moller replace Ross Graham, Dario Naamo and Max Watters.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United: Maynard-Brewer, Strain, Graham, Trapanovski, Ferry, Sibbald, Amar Fatah, Stephenson, Keresztes, Cleall-Harding, Moller.

Substitutes: Richards, Esselink, Iovu, Camara, Sapsford, Farrugia, Naamo, Stirton, Watters.

Hearts: Schwolow, Halkett, Braga, Kabore, Milne, Findlay, Magnusson, Altena, McEntee, Leonard, Kyziridis.

Substitutes: Gordon, Kent, McCart, Kabangu, Steinwender, Spittal, Kerjota, Ageu, Mato.

Let's get some team news to get things going.

One final game to bring you on this bumper Premiership Saturday, and it's a biggie.

Dundee United v Hearts is up in 45 minutes.

Image source, SNS

That's all the reaction in from this afternoon's three Premiership games, so we're taking a wee break at the moment.

We'll be back shortly with the build-up to the 20:00 kick-off between Dundee United and Premiership leaders Hearts.

But you can keep listening to the build-up to the Tannadice game as Sportsound continues on BBC Radio Scotland. Press the link at the top of the page.

Meantime, you can catch up on the match reports from today's top-flight games.

Kilmarnock stunned Aberdeen to secure their first win under Neil McCann.

A Tawanda Maswanhise double brings Motherwell closer to the Old Firm and deepens bottom side Livingston's woes.

Meanwhile, a no-score bore draw between St Mirren and Dundee means they are both closer to second-bottom Kilmarnock.

Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "Motherwell, they've got a right good chance this year. They're brilliant, they're a really, really good team.

"I enjoy watching them - they've got some really good players. The wee boy Just, Maswanhise, a handful at the top end of the park.

"Defensively, it's again shambolic from us. Really, really poor, defensively. It's from an area of the park that shouldn't cause us any real problems. Jerome [Prior] and Joshua Brenet's got to do better together.

"It gets a wee bit chaotic. We just lose a wee bit of any control we had in the game for probably about 20-25 minutes. They score a second. Set plays, we look as though we've never worked on them and we get a wee bit lucky to go in at 2-0 half time.

"We're in big trouble the way we're defending, that's me being honest."

Image source, SNS

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson is happy with the points against Dundee.

"Another game unbeaten, that's three now, so we have to take the positives," he tells BBC Scotland.

"Game was a bit scrappy, but we had the best chances."

Recent signing Jake Young was sent off just after the hour mark.

"The boys' reaction to the red card was brilliant," he adds. "I thought it was an unjustified decision.

"But we stayed disciplined and my goalkeeper didn't have a save to make."

Robinson hopes to have one more signing in before the transfer window closes.

Image source, SNS

Livingston are not only now six points adrift but have gone 24 matches without a victory, losing 17 of them.

With 22 without a win in the Premiership, that equals the worst, by Hamilton Academical - from November 2010 to April 2011 - in the top flight in the 21st century.

In contrast, after a first away win in five games, fourth-top Motherwell have lost once in 15 outings, are unbeaten in six, and have beaten Livi in their latest six meetings.