John Collins
Former Hibs manager on Sportsound

Here come the players...

Jordan Elgott
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

Hearts fans are already in their seats and making a load of noise. Their players have just walked over to them and in response, the Hearts faithful let off an almighty roar. This is absolutely massive for them.

Win and they're off the bottom, in a Scottish Cup semi-final and have found a bit of momentum.

A loss to their biggest rivals tonight would be a disaster.

Head coaches Jack Ross and Daniel Stendel arrived at their clubs within a month of each other, but one has had a slightly more positive impact than the other.

Since Ross took charge, Hibs have won 50% of their matches in all competitions, averaging nearly two goals per game as they have slowly risen up the table and into European contention.

Hearts have felt some impact since Stendel's arrival - most notably in two wins against Rangers- especially in the style of play. However, results are yet to take a significant upturn and they remain bottom of the Premiership.

Ross was on the market for both clubs to appoint and though it's still too early to say whether Hibs have got the better of their rivals in selecting him, the early signs are good for the Leith side.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

It's currently a tie in terms of derby bragging rights for this season so far. Hearts won the first match, which at the time was a ding-dong between two under-pressure managers whose teams sat in the bottom three after six games of the season. Ultimately, they were both sacked anyway.

So when it came to round two at Tynecastle on Boxing Day, Craig Levein and Paul Heckingbottom were replaced by current incumbents Daniel Stendel and Jack Ross.

It was Ross's Hibs who came out on top, thanks to two first-half goals from Martin Boyle.

Image source, BBC Sport

Hearts manager Daniel Stendel has been explaining to BBC Radio Scotland his reason for dropping Scotland forward Steven Naismith to the bench.

"The past has shown that it is not so easy to play so many games so soon in our style of play, especially when you've had injury problems," he says.

"We know we need Steven Naismith and we know we can call him from the bench."

Stendel is looking for greater consistency from his side after the fine weekend win over Rangers in the Scottish Cup.

"It is important we show we have ambition to win a game like this," he says. "We need the right discipline and concentration for the game. It was good on Saturday, but we need that for three, four, five in a row rather than just one."

Image source, SNS

Hibernian head coach Jack Ross makes one change to the side that beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle 5-2 in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals on Friday as Stephane Omeonga comes in for Steven Whittaker.

"It was probably in my mind even before Friday's game," he tells BBC Scotland. "He brings a really good energy and we need that tonight.

"Our games recently have been open and we've backed ourselves to come out on the right end of that, we will try and do it again tonight. We certainty have a team out tonight that will create."

Hearts are desperate for points to lift themselves off the bottom of the table, but Ross rejects the suggestion that his team need them less.

"I can understand why people would say that, but we need to win to give ourselves a chance of finishing third in the league," he says.

"We are the outsiders in that respect at the moment, but tonight gives us a chance to put pressure on the teams above us."

Elsewhere tonight, Scotland under-21 international Billy Gilmour starts for Chelsea against Liverpool in the FA Cup.

He's just 18 and has attracted a lot of praise from Chelsea boss Frank Lampard. "Billy Gilmour is playing because he deserves to play and how he has trained," Lampard has told BBC Sport pre-match. "It is a comfortable choice but a big game for him and I believe he can handle it."

One to keep an eye on.

These two rivals will meet next month in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park in Glasgow, as is usual. However, there's been some talk among punters and the media that the sensible option might be to play the game at Murrayfield in the capital, to cut travelling for fans and policing costs.

So, people of Edinburgh, what would you prefer? Thumbs up for Hampden, thumbs down for Murrayfield!

After a dreadful start to the season, the question was whether Hibernian might be dragged into a relegation dogfight this term. However, since Jack Ross replaced Paul Heckingbottom as head coach, the Hibees have been slowly creeping up the table.

Helped by the stuttering form of Motherwell and Aberdeen in 2020, they're now within touching distance of third spot, which would guarantee a Europa League place.

They failed to beat Livingston in their last league game, drawing 1-1, but a win tonight would put more pressure on those above them, who all play tomorrow.

Image source, BBC Sport

Jordan Elgott
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

We're used to seeing teams shaking hands with their opponents before every Scottish football match, but there will be none of that before tonight's Edinburgh derby.

Scottish footballers, staff and officials have been asked not to do it as part of authorities' attempts to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Hearts' Scottish Cup heroics against Rangers on Saturday was their second win against the Ibrox side in the space of a month.

However, they continue to struggle and sit two points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership. The only other teams they've beaten in their last 25 games are Airdrieonians and Falkirk of League One, and St Mirren.

Time is running out for them, results are needed. What better place to start than Easter Road?

Image source, SNS

With runaway leaders Dundee United looking to have sewn up the title and automatic promotion despite going three away games without a win, attention in the Championship turns to the race for play-off places - and to avoid relegation.

Robbie Neilson's team tonight visit an Ayr United side who have moved to within a point of second-top Inverness Caledonian Thistle despite losing their latest two home games.

Caley Thistle won't get it easy either as they host in-form Greenock Morton, who are now fifth after a run of six games without defeat and who are seeking a third consecutive win.

Fourth-top Dundee host Alloa Athletic, who are third bottom after four games without a win.

Down there with Alloa, bottom side Partick Thistle can draw level with visitors Queen of the South with a victory. Both sides at Firhill have gone seven games without a win.

Neil McCann
Former Hearts & Rangers winger on BBC Sportsound

We had zero away victories in Edinburgh derbies from August 2014 to December 2018, that's 14 matches. But since Hearts beat Hibernian at Easter Road on 29 December 2018, we've had zero home wins.

The last six derbies have produced either a draw or an away victory. Will Hibs change that tonight?

Image source, SNS

Head coach Daniel Stendel makes two changes to the team that started the 1-0 win against Rangers on Saturday, one of them enforced. Centre-back John Souttar snapped his Achilles in the opening quarter of that match and was replaced by Clevid Dikamona, who impressed and starts tonight.

Meanwhile, up front Liam Boyce is back fit after being unable to start due to illness at the weekend. He replaces Steven Naismith.

Image source, SNS

Jack Ross makes just one change to the starting XI that beat Inverness CT on Friday night in the Scottish Cup as Belgian Stephane Omeonga replaces Steven Whittaker in midfield.

Is this your team's strongest line-up, Hibs fans?

Image source, SNS

Hibernian: Marciano, McGinn, Hanlon, Jackson, Stevenson, Boyle, Omeonga, Docherty, Allan, Doidge, McNulty

Substitutes: Bogdan, McGregor, Whittaker, Hallberg, Murray, Horgan, Gullan

Hearts: Zlamal, Smith, Halkett, Dikamona, Hickey, Damour, Moore, Bozanic, Clare, Boyce, Washington

Substitutes: Pereira, Walker, Naismith, Langer, Irving, Henderson, Meshino

It's the third Edinburgh derby of the season, and they're always full of tumult!

We'll have live text commentary and there's radio coverage at the top of the page. It's one apiece in terms of derbies so far this season, so temporary bragging rights are at stake.

We'll also have updates from tonight's games in the Championship, League One and League Two.

Image source, SNS