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Hibs and Hearts were level on ten points each when they met in the first Edinburgh Derby of the season at Tynecastle in September, but much has changed in the intervening four months. Both sides set the early pace in the Scottish Premiership season and took an early lead over both Celtic and Rangers, but only Hearts have managed to sustain their good early-season form.
Hibs v Hearts – Tuesday, February 1: 7.45pm
Sky Sports Football
The Jam Tarts are currently 12 points clear of their bitter rivals and have established themselves as the third-best team in Scotland by a distance, enjoying a 10-point lead over fourth-placed Motherwell.
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Hearts to win
Hearts have made a decent start to 2022 since the resumption of the Scottish season, picking up six points in their first three league games of the year and only dropping points against a relentless Celtic outfit.
Hibs, on the other hand, have endured a difficult start to the year, picking up just one point from their three league games to date. The winter break came at the wrong time: they had won three on the bounce before Christmas and appeared to have got their season back on track.
This is an excellent chance for Hearts to claim their third successive victory at Easter Road.
Both teams to score
September’s meeting between the two sides may have ended in a scoreless draw, but that result is unlikely to be repeated on Tuesday night. Given Hearts’ lofty league position, it is unsurprising that they boast the best attacking and defensive records in the division after Celtic and Rangers. They have scored 34 goals in 23 outings this season, the joint-most out of any club other than the Old Firm, along with Ross County.
Hibs, meanwhile, have scored 26 goals so far this season and average just over a goal per game. They failed to find the back of the net in their first two games of 2022 but scored twice in a 3-2 defeat to Livingston over the weekend. They should give trouble to a visiting defence that concedes just under a goal per game on average and has only managed two away clean sheets all season.
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Liam Boyce to score anytime
Liam Boyce has made a timely return from a calf injury that plagued him towards the end of 2021 to bolster Robbie Neilson’s attacking options in the new year. The Northern Irish forward is Hearts’ top goalscorer this season despite managing just three league starts between October 23 and Christmas.
His goals were vital to Hearts’ early-season success and the fact that he notched his first league goal since December 5 in the recent 2-1 defeat to Celtic should do his confidence the world of good. He also scored twice in Hearts’ facile 5-0 win over Auchinlech Talbot in the Scottish Cup.
There is no reason why Hearts can’t continue to pull away from the chasing pack in the race for third, especially if Boyce rediscovers his goalscoring form.
Ellis Simms anytime goalscorer
Ellis Simms made an ideal start to life at Tynecastle by notching on his full debut against Motherwell on Saturday. The Everton loanee enjoyed an eye-catching loan spell with Blackpool, notching eight goals in 21 league appearances to help fire the Tangerines well clear of the relegation places in their first season back in the Championship in six years.
Simms showed plenty of promise in his full debut on Saturday and linked well with Boyce in the Hearts attack. With Simms showing plenty of potential and Boyce threatening a return to his early-season goalscoring form, there is plenty for Hearts fans to be encouraged about for Tuesday’s derby and the remaining 15 league games of the season.
Hibernian v Hearts Betting Tips:
Hearts to win
Both teams to score
Liam Boyce to score anytime
Ellis Simms anytime goalscorer
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