Headstrong Hearts ready for Rangers backyard assault as Steven Naismith explains major mentality shift

Steven Naismith insists headstrong Hearts are ready to deliver a title blow to Rangers in their own backyard after years of heading to Ibrox with no belief. Not since March 2012 have the Jambos won a top flight game in Govan.

But on the back of a sensational 12-game unbeaten run, that started with a win at Celtic Park, Hearts are confident of completing a stunning Glasgow double on the back of a mentality shift under Naismith. Rangers went top of the table for the first time this season on Sunday. But the Hearts boss, who won three titles as a player at Ibrox, knows the intensity of the pressure that brings. And he says his players are ready to crank that up an notch this afternoon.

He said: “When I was a player there were rarely times we went to Celtic Park or Ibrox with a real belief and optimism that you could get a result. I identified from the off that needed to change.

“How does it change? We drew at Ibrox last season, we won at Celtic this season and were really close again at Ibrox. So doing the work before those games. Getting through them and getting the results we did and the performances we did brings belief. That’s where we sit at the moment.

"I think it’s the first time in years - probably going back to when I was a player - that you have a proper title race. From my experience it’s intense. It’s intense week to week. Intense during games when you know the impact the result has.

“That pressure is going to be there. It’s not about whether we take advantage of it. We have to go into the game the way we have against every team. But more so the games against the Old Firm. With our game plan, what needs to be good.

“If we do that then a consequence is that pressure builds. That’s inevitably the way it work.”

Hea