Hearts motivated by potential rewards ahead of Rangers double header

Steven Naismith is confident his Hearts side will quickly get over last weekend’s defeat and be back to their best when they travel to Ibrox on Sunday.

The Premiership clash is the first of a double-header against Rangers with the sides set to meet again at Hampden the following week in a League Cup semi-final.

Naismith’s side suffered a 4-1 defeat to Celtic on Sunday but he insists that their form before that cannot be discounted as they look to bounce back against the other half of Glasgow.

Despite their poor recent record against the Old Firm clubs, the former Scotland international believes his players will be fully motivated for their trips to Glasgow, with the carrot of a potential cup final place up for grabs.

He said: “What we’ve got coming up, has good rewards at the end of them if you win the game, that’s got to be the motivation.

“We’re a good group. There’s a group there that want to do better. It’s not as if they’re suddenly just deciding not to do it.

“It’s been one game. I think, in the Hibs game, other than the 83 seconds, were really good in aspects of the game, a press, winning the ball back, playing forward, gaining control of the game.

“So you can’t just dismiss that.”

Hearts, who also take on Livingston in between both games against Rangers, currently sit in fourth place in the Premiership.