Hearts vs Hibernian. Scottish Premiership.
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Thursday 26 December 2019 11:36, UK
Hibernian travel to Tynecastle to play Hearts on Boxing Day with capital bragging rights up for grabs. Sky Sports News reporter Luke Shanley analyses who could end the decade on top in Edinburgh.
Nothing beats Scotland's capital city over the festive period. Edinburgh is turned into a winter wonderland with entertainment, Christmas markets and stunning scenery along with one of the biggest street parties in Europe to see in the New Year marked by a big firework display.
Another tradition in the city is the Edinburgh derby. It celebrates its 144th birthday on Christmas Day making it one of the oldest rivalries in world football. The tradition of playing the fixture on New Year's Day may have slipped in recent times but the SPFL always make sure there is a game between Hearts and Hibernian around Christmas.
It gives the city something else to look forward to other than TV repeats and turkey sandwiches. The night before the game has that Christmas Eve feeling about it with the excitement and anticipation. The problem is there is no guarantee you will get the gift you want…three points and the bragging rights.
As we approach the end of the decade, the 2010s have been eventful for both teams to say the least. Both have won the Scottish Cup, both have been relegated and promoted back by winning the Championship title, both have been taken over by new owners, and the teams have employed 17 permanent managers (Hearts nine, Hibernian eight) between them.
Both clubs have new bosses going into this one. Daniel Stendel will be in the home dugout at Tynecastle Park and Jack Ross in the away one. It is a far cry from where both teams were when they last met 96 days ago at Easter Road.
Ahead of the last meeting in September, I wrote that the match was being billed as the P45 derby and the defeated manager would lose the benefit of the doubt with their supporters. That was evident following Hearts' win at Easter Road.
Protests from angry fans followed against Hibernian head coach Paul Heckingbottom. Craig Levein showed his experience in the fixture by making changes during the game to give Hearts victory, despite going behind to a Stevie Mallan wonder strike.
Neither Levein nor Heckingbottom lasted that long, despite both managing to reach the League Cup semi-finals. The form of the capital clubs did not really improve - Hearts owner Ann Budge and Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster had to act.
Budge admitted it was a mistake to appoint Levein as manager while still holding the director of football position. She had a close working relationship with Levein and, even after sacking him as manager, he remains at the club until the end of the season to finish off infrastructure and development projects.
Dempster decided to make the change following Hibernian's defeat to Celtic at Hampden Park, sacking a man she appointed just 10 months earlier. After a relatively swift recruitment process, Jack Ross was announced as Heckingbottom's replacement.
Hearts seemed to take their time. They had spoken to Ross about returning to Tynecastle. He was a former U20s coach with the club. Stendel was a leading contender from the start and finally, after six weeks, Hearts were able to appoint the former Barnsley manager, despite threats of legal action from his former club.
One lesson we have learned from the last match is do not write off Hearts, especially in this fixture. They have dominated the Edinburgh derby in every decade except for the 1970s. Going into this one rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership they need a win badly. The new manager 'bounce' has not worked for Stendal with three straight defeats.
In each of the last eight seasons the team bottom of the Premiership at Christmas has finished bottom and been relegated. Aberdeen were the last to buck the trend in 2010.
Hearts' lack of goals is worrying. They have scored just twice in their last seven games since their 5-2 win over St Mirren. That win and September's Edinburgh derby are their only two of the season.
Ross did get that bounce initially although Hibernian have won just one of their last five games. They will point to playing the Old Firm in their last two matches, but the truth is they did not lay a finger on Glasgow's big two.
The style of football is better than under Heckingbottom and the consistency in selection is apparent, too. Ross is getting a bit more out of striker Christian Doidge, who struggled to settle in until his hat-trick at St Johnstone under caretaker boss Eddie May.
A change in system no doubt helped, and he was rewarded with the player of the month award. In fact he has scored just as many goals himself as Hearts as a team have since November 9, with seven.
Fortune used to favour the home team in this fixture but there has been no home win since May 2018, a run of five games. Hibernian are looking for back-to-back wins at the home of their greatest rivals for the first time since 1977. They rarely win with ease in Edinburgh's West End. In the last 11 wins away to Hearts only one has been by more than a goal.
This derby will be key in building up brownie points with the supporters and momentum to push up the table. The atmosphere at Tynecastle is usually electric. Regardless of their form the Hearts fans will expect a victory. In the 2010s they have won 17 matches with Hibernian, losing nine and drawing 12. They need to end the decade on a high.
The reality is the fireworks display at Edinburgh Castle that will signal the start of 2020 is what both managers are really looking forward to most as it will also herald the opening of the January transfer window. Both squads need surgery but after investment in the summer allied with poor recruitment, both may have one hand tied behind their backs.
By the time they meet again at Easter Road in March we will have a better idea of which new manager has performed better and who is on course to be the Kings of the Capital this season.
Hearts skipper Christophe Berra returns from suspension for the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian on Boxing Day.
Veteran attacker Steven Naismith has suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem and is a major doubt.
Jamie Walker's knee injury will be assessed and Jamie Brandon is fighting to be fit after an ankle injury while Callumn Morrison, Peter Haring, John Souttar, Ben Garuccio and Conor Washington remain out.
Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous is suspended for the Edinburgh derby clash.
The centre-back begins a two-match ban following his red card against Rangers.
Midfielder Joe Newell (calf) remains a doubt but David Gray is pushing for a recall.
