THIS match will be won and lost in the midfield. In the most recent game between these two, that is exactly what happened. Hibs couldn't get to grips with play in that area and Hearts, through the likes of Paul Hartley and Rudi Skacel, were able to dictate the play. Tony Mowbray knows that which is why I think he will opt for a fluid formation that will be a 4-3-3 when they are in possession, but a 4-5-1 when Hearts have the ball.

That will enable them to press the game and, with their pace, they are more than able to hit on the counter-attack and exploit the big open spaces of the Hampden pitch.

Because midfield is such a crucial area in this match, I also think that if there is even the slightest chance that Scott Brown is able to take to the pitch, Tony won't waste him on the bench, I think he will gamble on him from the start and even if he gets 60 minutes out of him, that could make all the difference to Hibs as he is such an influential player and one of the outstanding young talents in the Scottish game.

His surging runs will give the Hearts midfield something to think about, especially in the absence of the suspended Julien Brellier, who would normally be the man stubbing out those runs. I don't know who Valdas Ivanauskas will select to fill that midfield slot but whether it is Bruno Aguiar or Martin Petras, neither are as effective in that role as the Frenchman. Hearts are physically stronger than Hibs but the movement and running in the Easter Road team means they have their own strengths. Without Derek Riordan, Hearts will have the advantage when it comes to set-pieces.

The suspended Hibs kid will be a major miss, especially from deadball situations, which is why I expect Hibs to, on the whole, get the ball down quickly and get the game moving, rather than trying to pick a spot to aim at or trying to flight the ball into the Hearts box.

Hearts, though, will be happy to earn free-kicks around the area, with the likes of Hartley and Skacel both deadly and the tall frames of Jankauskas, Calum Elliott, Elvis and, if he plays, Andy Webster to aim at.

But Hibs have very talented players and if they can prevent Hearts from playing their natural game then they could surprise the majority of pundits who are predicting a Hearts win. That's something that Hearts will have to deal with.

They are definitely favourites for the match and they will have to be mentally strong as most teams prefer being the underdogs but I don't subscribe to the belief that if Hearts don't start well then they can forget it.

Yes, the Hibs team is full of young, fit players and they have proved they can soak up pressure and then finish with a flurry, while Hearts usually start the game at quite a high tempo and, as a result, fade a little towards the end of games.

But by then they could have put the game beyond Hibs and with statistically the best defence in Scotland, they are more than capable of hanging on. It is Hibs who started the brighter in the last Edinburgh derby but after that the Hearts midfield took a grip and they began to run the show. Skacel was able to push forward, as was Hartley and Mikoliunas (who was later replaced by Cesnauskis) but they could do that safe in the knowledge that Brellier was there mopping up in front of the defence. Hibs can't allow them to do that but I expect them to press the game more and by using the full width of the pitch, the likes of Ivan Sproule and, possibly, Steven Fletcher, can really play a roll in keeping the likes of Skacel and Csenauskis occupied. Neither are the best at getting back, although they are working harder and getting better at that, so they can leave space for the Hibs guys to run into and it will be interesting to see how Tony sets out his team. If Brown is fit, I expect him to form a central three with Thomson and Michael Stewart, with Sproule wide on one side and either Stephen Glass or Fletcher wide on the other.

I think it would be better to play Fletcher as the two could them switch wings and keep the Hearts defence on their toes. Robbie Neilson has been one of the most consistent performers in the Premierleague this season but I would expect him to have more problems against Sproule than Takis Fyssas would. At the other end, the way the Hibs full-backs like to get up the flank could either benefit them or be their downfall. If Hearts are pressed back, then it will be a master stroke, but they can't leave gaps in behind them or Rudi and Csenauskis will attack them.

Taken from the Scotsman