Hibernian: Neil Lennon says his legacy will not be determined by derby results

Neil Lennon says Edinburgh derbies are tamer than their Glasgow counterpart

Neil Lennon insists his legacy as Hibernian head coach will not be determined by Edinburgh derby results.

Hearts, who knocked Hibs out of the Scottish Cup in January at Tynecastle, travel to Easter Road on Friday nine points behind their city rivals in the Scottish Premiership.

"I'm not going to be defined as Hibs manager by derby results," Lennon said.

"If that's what the Hibs fans want, they have they have got the wrong man in charge."

Hibs have won one derby and drawn the other in the league this season, but Lennon is more concerned about the pressure his side can put on the trio above them should they secure another three points.

"I'm looking at the far bigger picture of taking the club on and progressing it," he said.

"And if we can win derbies along the way then so be it."

Lennon, whose side trail Aberdeen by four points, is also a veteran of Old Firm derbies as a player then manager, and the match at Easter Road comes two days before leaders Celtic visit second-top Rangers.

"Sunday will have a far bigger bearing on which way the title is going to go - that's for sure," he said.

"We have an opportunity to put more distance between ourselves and Hearts in fifth place and maybe put more pressure on the teams round about us going into the weekend.

"It could be a very good weekend, a very long weekend, or it can be a very disappointing weekend, but obviously we want the former."

Neil Lennon knows all about Glasgow derbies after being Celtic manager

Lennon admits that the Edinburgh affair is much tamer than its Glasgow counterpart.

"I've enjoyed them all," he said. "The defeat sort of hurts you for a bit, but you learn with the experience to get over it quickly."

Lennon insisted that he has "no problems, though, in sleeping" before derbies and does not let them control his life.

"If you are ingrained in derbies then maybe, but I have taken a step away from it," he said.

"Some people can get obsessed with the rivalry and it's the same in Glasgow as well.

"The difficult thing to do is contain it. I don't have any problems with that and they don't get under my skin at all."

Meanwhile, Lennon was coy about Hearts manager Craig Levein's suggestion that the Tynecastle side's cup win had restored the natural order in Edinburgh.

"I don't know what natural order means," he added. "Craig made that comment.

"He has been ingrained in the Edinburgh derby for a lot longer than me, so you will need to ask him what he meant by that."