Hearts and Hibernian are due to meet in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday. Hearts sold out their initial allocation for the semi-final in three days and then took their numbers over 23,000 with a second wave of tickets, while more than 18,000 Hibernian fans will be at Hampden.
Form before the semi-final
Hearts are third and Hibernian are second bottom of the Premiership. Hibernian have taken two points from their past eight outings, and Marink Reedijk is still waiting for his first Hibs victory after a draw at St Mirren on Wednesday and three defeats in his first four matches.
Hearts enjoyed their third successive derby victory in early September. Wouter Vrancken said: "We did really well there and we have to do also on Sunday."
Managers on the game
This will be the first competitive match between Wouter Vrancken and Marink Reedijk. Vrancken said: "It's a totally different game. New manager, new style, new competition. It's also an all-or-nothing game. So all different circumstances. The first game doesn't matter anymore. We have to look forward to this one."
Vrancken also said: "You have to put your emotions and energy in the things you have to do on the pitch and go from there."
Reedijk called it a "special match" and said there could be "some surprises somewhere". He said: "It's not only the derby, it's also a semi-final, and it's one step away from a final, so that is a double way of excitement."
Goals, returns and injuries
Hibernian are without a league clean sheet. In their past four domestic outings, Hearts have had 22 attempts on target, and Hearts have 24 league goals to Hibs' 11.
Martin Boyle has returned for Hibs. Boyle has scored five derby goals and has three league goals, making him the club's top scorer. Hearts have five players on three goals or more, while Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller moved on to five goals in Wednesday's draw at home to Rangers. Both teams have long injury lists.
