The final Edinburgh derby of the season and potentially the last for a number of years takes place tomorrow at Easter Road, with Hearts looking to pile more misery onto Terry Butcher’s Hibernian side as well as secure the bragging rights for a fourth time this season.

Hibernian are on a winless run that stretches back to February this year and have lost the previous five games in a row. Hearts, who are already relegated and are on a run of four wins in a row, will be looking to secure pull their city rivals further into the relegation playoff mire with Hibs just three points clear of 11th placed Ross County. 

Hearts will be without skipper Jamie Hammill, after the midfielder was sent off for a second bookable offence against Ross County last weekend. The midfielder is also facing punishment from the Scottish FA after he clashed with County manager Derek Adams after he had scored a penalty in the 2-0 win over the Highland outfit.

Hibernian, who are without injured defender Paul Hanlon, could welcome back influential skipper James McPake for his first game under Terry Butcher. McPake last played for Hibs’ first team back in October against Hearts in Pat Fenlon’s last game in charge of the Easter Road side.

However, Butcher may not gamble on the player’s fitness despite McPake playing a full 90 minutes against Dunfermline for Hibs Under-20 side in midweek. Speaking after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to St. Mirren, Butcher said: “I don’t like to gamble on players’ fitness. If you ask a player to play, he will say yes, so you don’t let them decide. We’ll speak to the doctors, the physios and, if needs be, specialists.”

Andy Muirhead is a freelance football writer and is currently the editor of the Scottish football website Scotzine www.scotzine.com