Jefferies relishing derby match

Tynecastle boss eager to get one over rivals

Last updated: 18th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Jefferies relishing derby match

Jefferies: Ignoring form guide

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Hearts boss Jim Jefferies insists the form guide goes out of the window in Edinburgh derbies.

Jefferies' side have finished above Hibs in three of the last four seasons in Scotland's top flight, but are playing catch-up this year.

Hearts are currently in sixth place in the SPL table, one place and 10 points behind their city rivals.

Hibs come into the game unbeaten in two while Hearts have lost their last two, although Jefferies is taking little notice of the form guide.

Jefferies is taking charge of Hearts for the first time in an Edinburgh derby in over nine years and he will be eager to avoid a repeat of the scoreline that day when Mixu Paatelainen bagged a hat-trick in a 6-2 win for Hibs in 2000.

Great game

"It's a great game. It's a full house, which is great, even at quarter past 12," he told Sky Sports News.

"Everybody will be looking forward to it in both camps. We know what's at stake.

"It doesn't matter, like the Old Firm derbies, what your form is. You can't take what the result was the week before or the week before that.

"This is just a game where it doesn't matter who's in what position in the league. It's all down to this one game where everything goes out the window. It's just on the day."

Injury jinx

However, Hearts' injury jinx has struck again ahead of the match with Jose Goncalves, Ryan Stevenson, Calum Elliot and Arvydas Novikovas all doubtful.

The Tynecastle club's crisis looked to have been easing earlier this week with the news Andrew Driver, Craig Thomson and Scott Robinson were on the brink of returning from long-term knee problems.

"He's going to train with us this morning and do the warm-up only," Jefferies said of Goncalves.

"We think he might be all right but, right now, it's too early to say.

"Stevenson's not trained all week and he's got a knock. He'll do the warm-up this morning, then we'll see if there's any reaction."