Team news

Black excited by derby chance Ian Black has more reason than most for wanting to help Hearts win the Edinburgh derby.

The midfielder, who joined the Jambos from Inverness this summer, will be making his debut in the fixture if he is given the nod in Csaba Laszlo's midfield.

If that were not motivation enough, Black is Hearts through and through, a fan who has stood on the terrace many times, and a former Tynecastle ball boy whose father also played for the club.

And on top of that, Black is desperate to kick-start his career at the club, which has seen him in and out of the side all season.

"I've not played three games on the bounce, so my aim is just to get into the team," said Black, who has started the last two matches against Celtic and Motherwell.

Asked if tomorrow's game was the biggest of his career, the 24-year-old said: "You could say so, aye.

"Because it's the derby, it probably is the biggest.

"Everybody wants to win the derbies. It's my first one and I'd love to go and win it." He added: "I've heard all about them, the atmosphere and the buzz of the game.

"The boys are buzzing just now and I'm just really excited to get going and see what it's all about.

"I've been to a couple and it looks great.

"The pace of the game's unbelievable." Black has been forced to play second-fiddle to captain Michael Stewart and Ruben Palazuelos in the centre of Hearts' midfield.

But he feels all three could start in the same team, saying: "It'd be great to be in with them, all depending on what the manager decides to do.

The Hearts skipper has been the target of the Tynecastle boo-boys of late but Black said: "He's an experienced player and he brings a lot to the team.

"The fans are always going to say their piece.

"But it's how we take to it, and Mikey's big enough and strong enough and knows how to handle it." After suffering relegation with Inverness, Black must have thought he had left the wrong end of the table behind when he joined his boyhood idols.

But despite finishing third last season, Laszlo's men have slumped to eighth this term after winning just two of their opening 10 games.

Hearts will be without Eggert Jonsson. The Iceland defender is suspended following his red card in Saturday's 1-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat at Motherwell.

The Jambos also have a number of players missing through injury, including Marius Zaliukas (ankle), Suso Santana (hernia), Laryea Kingston (hamstring), Callum Elliot (knee) and David Templeton (foot).

Plenty of Hibernian players will be making their Edinburgh derby debuts, but Kevin McBride has yet to sample a cross-city clash of any kind.

Midfielder McBride is unable to recall playing in any derby match, even in his schoolboy days, so he cannot wait to sample the unique atmosphere of a Hearts-Hibs affair.

"This'll be my first experience of a derby match," said the 28-year-old, who joined from Falkirk this summer.

"Obviously, the boys have let me know what the atmosphere will be like.

"When you're out on the pitch it's different, you don't hear half the things that go on, so you just concentrate on your own game." The closest McBride has come to a derby was last season's Scottish Cup semi-final, which saw Falkirk square off against rivals Dunfermline.

The enmity between supporters of those two clubs owes more to history than geography, however, and when asked to recall earlier derby experiences, McBride replied: "I can't even remember that far back! "Obviously, I've not played as big a game as this. It's going to be a massive game for us." With zero derby experience, McBride could be forgiven for being the most nervous man at Tynecastle.

But he said: "I'm more looking forward to it, more excited, if I'm being honest. These are the games you want to play in, the big games, and obviously the Edinburgh derby is a massive game." The match is also manager John Hughes' first derby in charge.

Hughes looks set to name an unchanged XI for the fifth straight match and expects playmaker Merouane Zemmama to be fit for tomorrow's Edinburgh derby at Hearts.

Moroccan star Zemmama resumed light training yesterday after limping off after just 15 minutes of Saturday's 2-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Aberdeen with a groin problem.

Hibs have no other injury concerns, with manager John Hughes likely to stick with the same starting XI for the fifth straight match.

Hearts vs Hibernian

Last modified 14:52 07/11/09

Derby stalemate for Edinburgh rivals Hearts' impotent attack let them down once again as the first Edinburgh derby of the season ended goalless at Tynecastle.

The goal-shy Jambos dominated much of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League game with arch-rival Hibernian but were unable to seriously test goalkeeper Graham Stack.

They almost paid the ultimate price, as goalkeeper Janos Balogh tipped David Wotherspoon's drive onto the post and also had to be alert to deny substitute Derek Riordan.

Both sides made three changes for the game, which kicked off in glorious Gorgie sunshine.

The injury-hit Jambos recalled fit-again captain Michael Stewart, giving a full debut to Arvydas Novikovas and handing a first appearance of the season to Jason Thomson.

Hibs were forced to change their starting line-up for the first time in five games, with Riordan only on the bench after injuring himself in an incident with his dog.

Merouane Zemmama and Sol Bamba failed to make the squad at all, meaning recalls for Colin Nish and John Rankin and a first start under John Hughes for Lewis Stevenson.

High-flying Hibs knew victory would see them go joint top of the table alongside Celtic, who visit Falkirk on Sunday.

Hearts, who were looking to avoid a hat-trick of competitive derby defeats for the first time since 1922, were desperate for a win to kick-start a season that had brought just two in 10 SPL games.

The minute's silence for Remembrance Sunday was not without disruption from both sets of fans.

The home support almost had reason to make noise in the opening exchanges when Christian Nade's header from a long throw was deflected just wide for a corner.

Steve Conroy was in lenient mood, refusing to card Abdessalam Benjelloun for a crude challenge on Ian Black or Stewart - who was everywhere - or Liam Miller for kicking the ball away.

The referee finally snapped midway through the half when the excellent Stewart was upended by Anthony Stokes, before Black sent a first-time drive just over from the edge of the box.

Hearts were awarded a succession of corners and long throws but Hibs were standing up to the bombardment.

Having created nothing to that point, the only genuine chance of the half fell to the visitors, but Stokes failed to get good contact on a Nish flick-on from 12 yards.

Hearts twice went close within three minutes of the restart.

Andrew Driver spoilt a fine run straight at the Hibs defence with a tame finish before Novikovas was unlucky not to find the net when his spectacular overhead kick was blocked by Stevenson.

Thomson's flighted cross was then glanced just past the post by Black, who also fired in a mid-range left-foot shot which was comfortably held by Stack.

With barely 10 minutes played, Hibs boss Hughes threw on Riordan for Benjelloun.

Nade headed the latest Jose Goncalves long throw wide before Hibs almost took the lead out of nothing in the 65th minute.

Wotherspoon drove forward from right-back and let fly from 25 yards, forcing Balogh to spring to his left and tip the ball onto his near post.

Hearts replaced Novikovas with Gary Glen up front midway through the half.

But Hibs were finally enjoying some space, Riordan forcing another fine near-post stop from Balogh before Rankin blazed over when well placed.

With 18 minutes remaining, Hearts brought off Black for David Obua.

The visitors continued to look the bigger threat, Riordan stinging Balogh's palms with an angled half-volley.

Nade was soon withdrawn for Jamie Mole, whose first contribution was to earn Ian Murray a booking for a mistimed tackle.