The SPL kicks off a couple of days late for Hearts and Dundee United but that should not prevent it being a decent game

Dundee United welcome Hearts to Tannadice tonight without strikers Francisco Sandaza, Jon Daly and Kevin Smith. The trio have been out injured all summer and it will be at least another month before they are back in full training. Skipper Lee Wilkie is also sidelined following his knee operation during the close season. United have been boosted by the quicker-than-expected return of Argentine Damian Casalinuovo, although he has only trained for three days and is unlikely to be risked. But the club will hand debuts to Andy Webster, Danny Cadamarteri, Jennison Myrie-Williams and goalkeeper Nicky Weaver. Mihael Kovacevic has been delighted with his role in Dundee United's side during pre-season - but knows he has got to double his efforts to remain a first-team player now the real action is about to start. The defender has emerged as first pick for Craig Levein's team in the right-back role, forcing Irishman Sean Dillon onto the bench for much of the summer campaign, and he is set to start against Hearts. Until now the United manager has used the Swiss Under-21 star sparingly, albeit saving him for the bigger games when his defending is required, but he is confident he has improved as such a rate he can become the Tangerines' regular full-back.

His chances of achieving that appear to be good, if Levein's teams against Blackburn and Newcastle in their final two friendlies are to be considered a guide, but Kovacevic knows the hard work is only just beginning. He said: "I feel like I have had a good pre-season, the manager has been picking me and I played in both the big friendly matches at Tannadice so hopefully I will keep my place in the team. We are ready for Hearts. It has been a hard summer, we have done a lot of work and everything has been geared up for us to win this game. Now it is up to the players to do our bit and get the points we need to start the season positively. Hearts are a good team, they beat us when we played last season so it would be nice to do it to them as well. I wouldn't say we will be motivated by revenge for that defeat at Tynecastle because it is a new season and that game is gone now. What would be good, though, would be to start the season off with a victory over one of the top teams. Our confidence would take a massive boost and it would help us in the other games.''

Hearts defender Marius Zaliukas begins a four-game ban while winger Andrew Driver and striker Calum Elliot (both heel) are definitely out. Midfielder Laryea Kingston is almost certainly out due to his troublesome knee problem but summer signing Ismael Bouzid (shoulder) is set to return to training and winger Arvydas Novikovas is also expected to be fit. Manager Csaba Laszlo fears for the future of Scottish football as growing numbers of top players head south. Laszlo has lost Christophe Berra to Wolves and Robbie Neilson to Leicester this year while finances dictated that he could not hold on to key midfielders Bruno Aguiar and Christos Karipidis. The summer saw Hamilton lose Brian Easton and James Mccarthy to the Barclays Premier League while Motherwell witnessed Graeme Smith, Stephen Hughes, Paul Quinn and David Clarkson all head to England. Hibs could not turn down a £3million offer from Burnley for striker Steven Fletcher while Scott Severin gave up the captaincy at Aberdeen to move to Watford, citing frustration at playing against the same teams time and again.

Laszlo believes discussions should be held over the movement of players. Hearts have also rebuffed interest from Coventry and Burnley in Andrew Driver, and Laszlo wants action. He said: "We lost some good football players definitely from the league,. This is my worry at the moment. The Championship and also the Premier League, they are not our enemies but they take a lot of players and also managers. Look how many good managers work there and not here. This must be the time maybe to wake up and do something. Fletcher from Hibernian is out, Robbie Neilson from my team is out, Berra is out.''

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