Alex Cochrane reveals Hearts derby message from Steven Naismith as Rangers rout is consigned to history

Alex Cochrane admits Hearts face a test of character in a huge week of games after the Jambos were mauled by Rangers.

Steven Naismith’s side will look to take out their pain from the weekend’s 5-0 drubbing at Ibrox when they host city rivals Hibs at Tynecastle on Wednesday night. The Gorgie side then wrap up a demanding run of games at home to Celtic on Sunday.

Third place Hearts had won 11 in a 12-game undefeated spell before being put to the sword by Rangers. And wing-back Cochrane knows all eyes will be on them to see how they respond. He said: “Will these three games tell you a lot about the team by the end of it? I think it will. We want to be competing with Rangers and Celtic and have close games with them. The weekend score wasn’t that but these three games are probably the biggest games of the season, in that at the start of the season these are the games you look forward to – playing Rangers, Celtic and the derby.

“We’ve all spoken about how big a week it is and how excited we are for it. Our focus is Wednesday night’s game against Hibs and we still have to be confident going into it, which I think we are.

“The turnaround of games has probably helped us and the fact it’s a derby. The goals we conceded were a bit sloppy from our part, not really like us. But it’s been put to bed fairly quickly and we move on to this game. We know the importance of it now.”

Hearts should not need any lifting for Wednesday's clash as they look to increase their 11-point gap in third. Hibs are 21 points worse off and in a fight to make the top six. And Cochrane reckons there is no better game to bounce back in.

He added: “If you ask the boys what game they want after that, they would say a derby. Saturday is done now and we know it