Heart of Midlothian

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Derek McInnes is relishing his first Edinburgh derby as head coach and will be highlighting the importance of Saturday's game against Hibs to Hearts' new players.

But he will also be stressing the importance of not getting caught up in the atmosphere and keeping "11 men on the pitch".

Hearts lead the Scottish Premiership by two points, but McInnes says fans are "crying out" for a derby win at home, with Hibs having not lost in four visits to Tynecastle.

"I've been at loads of Edinburgh derbies over the years, in the heart, soul and mind, and watching the game as a manager, watching the game just as a spectator," he said.

"I think everybody enjoys the noise, the matchday experience, but for us on the professional side of it, it's about enjoying winning and it's important that we just focus on that.

"The game will take care of itself in terms of the atmosphere, the motivation part of it. We probably just need to make sure we keep the lid on the emotion on that side.

"It's important that we keep discipline, 11 men on the pitch. But we're not going to try and dilute it - we want to promote these types of games and it's a brilliant game we've been involved in and obviously I'm looking forward to it as much as the players."

McInnes thinks everyone at Tynecastle is "well aware of the importance" - and not just for league points - and would be showing any of his new players clips of previous derbies so they know what a "brilliant game" they have in store.

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Hearts defender Harry Milne has signed a one-year contract extension after impressing manager Derek McInnes with his attitude and ability.

The on-form 28-year-old has scored one goal and delivered four assists in 10 appearances this season after being restricted to just three outings in the second half of last term following his January move from Partick Thistle on an 18-month deal.

Milne, who has seized his chance after the summer exit of fellow left-back James Penrice, has also shown versatility by playing at right midfield in Hearts' past two matches.

He is now tied down until summer 2027 as table-topping Hearts prepare to face Hibs in the Edinburgh derby on Saturday.

"It's great news and really keeps the positivity flowing ahead of a big game this weekend," McInnes said.

"Harry has been first class since I came into the club. He gives his all on the pitch, he's eager to learn and I think the fans have really taken to him.

"What pleases me is that there is even more to come from him, so to get his future sorted is fantastic for everybody."

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Former Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson is relishing the prospect of a "real barnstormer" Edinburgh derby where the Tynecastle hosts can make "a big statement" about their ability to maintain a challenge at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Derek McInnes' side host Hibernian with the possibility of moving five points clear of reigning champions Celtic - and 12 ahead of Rangers - before the Glasgow duo play on Sunday.

Neilson has played for and managed Hearts teams who have made the early running before falling back and says the key is whether they can find the consistency through November to January "where the real title challenge will either come or go".

"It is a massive game from both clubs' perspective, but especially from Hearts because they get that opportunity to go five clear of Celtic but also well clear of Rangers," Neilson told BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast.

"That would start to put massive pressure on both these clubs - that they have to go into their games on Sunday and have to win.

"If they go to 12 points, it gets to the stage where Rangers are relying on other teams to beat Hearts.

"They are in a brilliant position and tomorrow could be a big statement."

Like their city rivals, Hibs are unbeaten in the league, albeit five draws out of six leaves David Gray's side eight points behind in sixth.

"I think tomorrow will be a real barnstormer and I'm really looking forward to it," Neilson, currently assistant at Belgian club Lommel said.

"I think it will be top level, because both teams have got goals in them - both got good strikers.

"Obviously Bowie and Shankland are doing well for both teams, but they also have a lot of creative players and they've both got a lot of options from the bench.

"I can see the game twisting and turning as they go along. I don't see anyone really dominating it."

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• Both sides have scored in six of the past seven Edinburgh derbies in the Scottish Premiership, with the exception a 1-0 Hearts win in December 2023.

• Hibs have won their past two Scottish Premiership games against Hearts – as many as their previous 15 beforehand (W2 D8 L5).

• Hearts have won nine of their past 10 league games (D1), also scoring 2+ goals in nine of those matches, including their latest six in a row.

• Hibs have drawn seven of their past eight league games (W1), including each of their latest five in a row. Before this, Hibs had only drawn six of their previous 25 in the Scottish Premiership (W14 L5).

• Hearts boss Derek McInnes has never lost as a manager at home to Hibs in the top flight in 15 previous fixtures (W8 D7). His last four (all with Kilmarnock from 2023 to 2025) have all been drawn, though.

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Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin has been recalled to the Australia squad for the first time since Tony Popovic became head coach last year.

The Sydney-born 27-year-old, who has four caps for the Socceroos, has been in excellent form this season for the Edinburgh side, who currently lead the Scottish Premiership.

Devlin's inclusion is one of eight changes to Popovic's squad for friendlies against World Cup hosts Canada in Montreal on 11 October and the United States four days later in Colorado.

Hibernian forward Martin Boyle retains his place along with right-back Lewis Miller, who moved from the Leith club to Blackburn Rovers this summer.

Devlin will compete for a place in central midfield with Dundee-born Alex Robertson.

The 22-year-old, who has represented both Australia and England at youth level and had a loan spell with Ross County, has been called up for the first time since October 2023 after being approached by Peru to train with them.

Australia are unbeaten in 10 matches under Popovic.

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Stephen Kingsley says "strength and depth is the biggest change" at Hearts this season as Derek McInnes' side aim to stay top of the Premiership with derby victory this weekend.

Hearts, who were seventh last term, are two points clear of defending champions Celtic before this season's first meeting with Hibs.

"If you're the one on the pitch and you need to make sure you keep it, it's up to yourself," said defender Kingsley.

"That's always been the case. No different this year, it's just obviously a lot more bodies in the squad but if you train hard and make sure you're right and you get that chance then it's up to you, it's up to yourself.

"The strength and depth is probably the biggest change, biggest difference from now to previous seasons. This year, we've obviously got a bigger squad, padded it out with quality."

Summer arrivals including Stuart Findlay, Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis are among those set for their first taste of the Edinburgh showdown on Saturday.

"I don't think we need to tell them much," said Kingsley. "We can obviously pass on our experience and give them a little insight into what it's going to be like but they need to prepare themselves mentally for the challenges ahead.

"It is different from any other game but the focus needs to be on what we are looking to do and just be focusing on ourselves and not really bother too much about them and not get caught up in the occasion.

"But naturally it's hard to do when you come into these situations, the noise of the crowd, the atmosphere and everything.

"Everything's on Hibs just now and that's the next challenge for us. It's a massive one, it's one we know is going to be tough, we know their strengths so it's one we're fully prepared for that and we're not getting caught up in anything that's been said outwith them."

Colin Moffat
BBC Sport Scotland

When Edinburgh's big two meet at Tynecastle on Saturday, Hearts will be aiming to maintain their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Hibs are looking to make it three successive derby wins for the first time in over 100 years.

Both sides are unbeaten on league duty so far but Hearts are way ahead with five wins and one draw, to Hibs' one win and five draws.

Last term, Hibs had the upper hand, winning twice and drawing the other derby on the way to third place. The visitors are unbeaten in four of these contests and have lost just once in the past eight meetings.

Derek McInnes is yet to lose over 90 minutes since taking over as Hearts head coach, with the only disappointment in 11 games being a League Cup penalty shootout loss to St Mirren.

This will be his first taste of the derby but he does a positive record against Hibs from his time at St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, winning 18 of his 39 games and losing 10.

McInnes has yet to get the better of David Gray though, after two draws and a defeat last season with Killie.

Hibs boss Gray went unbeaten in the derby in his debut campaign and did not meet Hearts or McInnes in his three short interim spells. As a player, he enjoyed three victories over his boyhood team and suffered two defeats, with just two of those 10 fixtures in the top flight.

Hearts tend to get the ball forward quicker and have outscored Hibs by 15 to 10 in the league.

The hosts just shade attempts on goal (94-89) and efforts on target (38-34), although Hibs were ahead on both counts before last weekend before they drew 0-0 at champions Celtic and Hearts scored three from 20 shots against Falkirk.

Hearts are significantly ahead on touches in the opposition box (200-159) and have had more success from set-pieces, scoring from corners four times and twice from free-kicks, which is double Hibs' output.

Those of a maroon persuasion have certainly had more to smile about this season and have by far the better overall record since these city rivals first met on Christmas Day 1875.

However, derby bragging rights are all about recency and home fans will be ecstatic if they go 11 points clear of their neighbours seven games in, while those in green and white will be partying like it's 1922 if they can equal that long ago three-in-a-row.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

After the hugely impressive win over Falkirk, Hearts' full focus turns to a Saturday evening blockbuster against Hibs at Tynecastle.

Derek McInnes and his players could hardly go into this opening derby of the season in better form.

The only Premiership blip was the 3-3 draw at home to Motherwell, but the manner in which Hearts salvaged a point was from three down with less than half an hour to play showed admirable fighting spirit.

This derby has extra significance for a number of reasons. Hearts have won only one of the past eight matches against their city rivals, and their last victory over Hibs at Tynecastle was almost three years ago.

But with the team now flying high at the top of the table and playing arguably the best style of football the fans have witnessed for years, there is much more expectancy now from the stands.

The club have invested heavily in the squad and that is paying dividends early on.

For some of this squad, Saturday will be their first experience of the Edinburgh derby and the importance it carries for everyone at the club.

There are plenty of staff, however, who have been at Tynecastle long enough to ensure there will be no surprises about what to expect.

Gary Locke played in 13 of these matches and never tasted defeat. It would be no surprise if Derek McInnes drafts Locke into the dressing room before Saturday evening's match.

The players will be left in no doubt about what it takes to be a winner in an Edinburgh derby.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Alexander Schwolow has been surprised by the "intensity" of the Scottish Premiership since the 33-year-old goalkeeper signed for Hearts this summer after leaving Union Berlin.

But the German will be hoping Saturday's derby with Hibernian goes more smoothly than the one he experienced playing for Schalke away to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga three years ago.

"Crazy, crazy game - 80,000 spectators in Dortmund," he said of the 1-0 defeat in the biggest derby of his career so far.

"The fans were blocking us to come into the stadium with our bus. Also, the police were not perfectly escorting us. It took ages.

"We just arrived, I think, 56 minutes before the game starts. It just changes your routine before the game."

Schwolow is relishing the prospect of another "special" derby experience and reckons the Scottish top flight is a better watch than his homeland's.

"I would say the Bundesliga, for example, is more tactical," he said. "But here it's just counter-attack after counter-attack.

"I'm very impressed how physically strong everybody is and how much they can run."

Schwolow faces additional competition for a starting place now that Scotland number one Craig Gordon is nearing fitness for the first time this season.

"We just try to push ourselves, push each other and I think competition makes you better in the long term," he said.

"I always had it in my career and I think that's a good thing."

As Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibs prepare to meet on Saturday for the first time this season, watch the best of the action from the previous derby last term as Jack Iredale's stunning strike secures a 2-1 home win at Easter Road. (Available to UK users only)

Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts warmed up for Saturday's Edinburgh derby against Hibernian with a 6-0 defeat of Falkirk in a closed doors game. (Sun), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media as Hearts prepare to face Edinburgh rivals Hibs this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Tynecastle boss:

• McInnes says it is "stupid" to suggest Hearts - who sit two points clear at the top - are title challengers after only six matches.

• He adds: "Our fight is with ourselves. We're not getting drawn into that. For us, the focus is on improving what wasn't good enough last season, and we need to keep working on that. The next game's difficult enough. We just need to try and win a derby which, regardless of form, is always huge. In derbies across the country, form usually goes out the window and it's all about the game itself."

• The derby comes too soon for Brazilian midfielder Ageu to return from a hamstring injury, but goalkeeper Craig Gordon could make the squad for the first time this season.

• McInnes confirms he spoke with Steve Clarke, who wanted reassurance about Gordon's fitness before recalling the 42-year-old goalkeeper to his Scotland squad.

• The Tynecastle boss says it has been a "stop-start" season so for for Gordon, who played 45 minutes of a bounce game on Tuesday, but the aim now is to "build up his training minutes and momentum".

• McInnes was "not surprised" by Lawrence Shankland's latest Scotland omission: "I had a brief chat with Lawrence this morning after my conversation with Steve yesterday. You'd need to ask Lawrence if he was surprised or expected it."

• McInnes adds that the "motivation" for Shankland is to be in the World Cup squad should Scotland qualify and the striker must not "lose sight of that".

• McInnes was delighted with the manner of the 3-0 win against Falkirk on Saturday, describing it as the performance he has "enjoyed most" this season.

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Steve Clarke is happy to call on the experience of Craig Gordon but the Scotland head coach does have longer-term concerns over his goalkeepers' lack of action.

Gordon, 42, has replaced Hearts team-mate Zander Clark for October's World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Belarus at Hampden despite not playing since early May.

Angus Gunn kept clean sheets as the campaign opened with a draw in Denmark and an away win over Belarus but is yet to debut for Nottingham Forest since his summer move.

The third keeper in the squad, Liam Kelly, has had one outing for Rangers in the League Cup this term.

"I've spoken to the people I need to speak to about Craig, they're telling me he's fully fit," said Clarke. "He's the most experienced in terms of caps that I've got, so it just felt like the right thing to bring him back.

"It's obviously very important that you trust your players and it's important that the players trust me. I think I've got a good relationship with all my players, but Craig in particular."

Cieran Slicker, currently on loan at Barnet, and Ross Doohan, third choice at Celtic, featured in the June friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein.

"I think with the goalkeepers it's probably still a bit of an issue," said Clarke.

"But it's less than three weeks since the last camp, so not such a big issue in the September, October, November camps," he said.

"I think the issue comes between November and March. Obviously in that time there is a transfer window and you never know what's going to happen."

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon has been recalled to the Scotland squad despite having not made a first-team appearance in five months.

Gordon is back in Steve Clarke's set-up for the World Cup qualifying double-header against Greece and Belarus this month.

The 42-year-old, who is yet to feature in a Hearts squad this season as he returns to full fitness after a neck injury, replaces club-mate Zander Clark.

There is again no place for Tynecastle striker Lawrence Shankland, who has netted seven goals this season.

Read more: Gordon returns for Scotland double-header

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As Celtic struggle in attack and Rangers struggle full stop, questions continue to be raised about whether rampant Hearts can split the Old Firm this season.

Derek McInnes' side secured their fifth Premiership win on Saturday with a 3-0 victory over Falkirk, while Celtic dropped points for the second time this season in a goalless draw with Hibernian and Rangers finally took their first win at the sixth attempt.

The Tynecastle club now top the table two points clear of Celtic and nine points ahead of Rangers, who they beat 2-0 at Ibrox earlier this month.

Hearts investor Tony Bloom is adamant the Edinburgh side have a shot of finishing "at least second" and The Herald's Stephen McGowan agrees, saying they should be "fancying their chances."

"I spent an hour with Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay on Friday morning and obviously I was desperately trying to get him to commit to that [becoming realistic title challengers]. But unlike Tony Bloom, he's a bit reluctant," Scottish football writer McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"You can understand that because at this stage, it's only six games gone and it's a 'loose lips sink ships' type ethos.

"There's a feeling among people at Hearts that the time to judge will be after the second round of fixtures when all the teams have played each other both home and away, because then you'll know where you stand and whether it is really a genuine title challenge.

"They're reluctant to say anything that will get pinned up in the dressing walls at Celtic and Rangers at the moment.

"But I think looking at where Rangers and Celtic are and the kind of inner turmoil that seems to be gripping them, Hearts should be fancying their chances.

"It might be too soon for them but they're assembling a good squad, they're in a good place and they should be feeling good about themselves.

"Tony Bloom has been clear in his ambitions. He said he'd be disappointed if they don't get second and disrupt the Old Firm."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Hearts went top of the Scottish Premiership with their 3-0 win over Falkirk and have three players in my team of the week.

Craig Halkett is a steadfast performer at the back for Hearts and someone Derek McInnes can rely on to set the foundation for the Jambos. His goal was the icing on the cake for Hearts on Saturday.

Alexandros Kyziridis scored a magnificent goal. If this had been scored in the English Premier League or La Liga by a household name we would be seeing and hearing about it for years.

A majestic piece of football from the moment he first touched the ball to the moment the ball found the top corner.

If this isn't goal of the season then I'm thoroughly looking forward to whatever beats it.

On another day, Lawrence Shankland's thunderous strike would have got even more kudos. The strike from Kyziridis slightly overshadowed it but the nature of the strike from the Hearts skipper underlined how the real Shankland is well and truly back.

Watch Sportscene analysis of Hearts' 3-0 win over Falkirk, which took them to the top of the Scottish Premiership.