John Robertson: Both managers would take a point in Edinburgh derby

Former Hearts hero John Robertson believes both Neil Critchley and David Gray would take a draw in the Edinburgh derby if it were offered to them right now.

The capital’s big two meet at Easter Road on Sunday in a bottom-of-the-table clash as they look to start climbing up the table.

After a disappointing start, Hibs currently sit bottom of the Premiership, with Hearts only one place ahead in eleventh.

But the Tynecastle club’s record scorer reckons the managers would happily take a point each and move on to the next challenge unscathed.

Robertson said: “Neil Critchley is just in the door, so it wouldn’t be catastrophic for him if he doesn’t get the result he wants, but for both guys it is huge.

“If you were to say it was a draw, they would probably secretly take that right now and move on.

“But, the importance of the match to both clubs is huge.

“I think sometimes players coming from other clubs, like you have seen with the likes of Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda coming from Motherwell and Ross County, sometimes I don’t think they realise how big the club actually is and the pressures and demands that come with that week in week out.

“We all talk about the demands that the Old Firm players face when it is a cup final every week and every team wants to beat them because it is their biggest game of the season.

“Hearts fans, Hibs fans and Aberdeen fans, to a certain respect, demand the same, they want that aspect of it and they feel like they shouldn’t be losing to any team outwith the Old Firm and should be giving the Old Firm a run for their money.

“That is a different level to where some of the players have come from, and sometimes it can take a bit of time to adjust to that.

“Add to that the fact that you are suddenly playing in front of 17,500/18,000 home fans who are right on top of you rather than 6,000, 7,000 or 8,000 fans.

“So these things take time, but there is no doubting the quality of squad is there, Hearts have got it, they added to a team that finished third comfortably last year and they’ve brought in extra players and that’s what they need to do.

“They need to settle down, they had a big win against St Mirren on Saturday and that helps settle everyone down a little bit and gains momentum.

“Can they go to Easter Road and get something again? And get back on the trail of where they want to be, but there’s absolutely no doubt about it that with the squad they have got and the budget that they’ve spent, although that doesn’t dictate anything, Hearts should be looking at a minimum of the top-six finish.”