Hearts v Hibernian: Why their similar form and tactics makes for a tightly-contested derby scrap
Whilst it seems highly unlikely (if not impossible) that Hearts and Hibernian will get much closer to the top three at this stage of the season, the meeting between the two should not be written off as a game with no meaning attached to it.
Instead, there is plenty riding on it and a number of reasons that both sides will want to go out on Friday evening and perform, with bragging rights on the line and no match-up between the two ever lacking intensity.
What makes the latest instalment of this rivalry such an interesting prospect is that things could not be closer between them at this moment in time, and it could well be the most high-pressured derby for a little while as a result, with both teams fighting hard to regards to end the campaign in the more positive light.
An even match-up
To see just how close they are, one need not look any further away than the league table itself, with both teams in roughly the same form after winning one and losing one of their post-split matches and just three points separating them at this moment in time, with Hearts having one more win and Hibernian one additional defeat, whilst they have drawn the same number of games.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Tactics Beyond Borders to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.