Kingston is the key to Hearts' bid for victory

COLLEEN PATERSON
HEARTS legend Gary Mackay admitted today the Tynecastle side need Larry Kingston to step up to the plate if they are to put one over on rivals Hibs this weekend.
The Jambos host Mixu Paatelainen's men on Saturday lunchtime for the second Edinburgh derby of the league season – before squaring up to them again just eight days later on Homecoming Scottish Cup duty.

The outcome of both games could prove pivota l as the season pans out and, with each camp harbouring hopes of claiming a UEFA Cup spot, the stakes are certainly high.

Mackay knows that Kingston relishes the big stage and atmosphere and hopes that the televised clashes bring out the best in the Ghana internationalist.

Kingston has been linked with a move away from Tynecastle along with a host of their other stars as Hearts bid to reshuffle their playing staff, however, Mackay is keeping his fingers crossed that he'll be around long enough to ensure a successful season for the Jambos.

He said: "The derby is the type of game that will really suit Larry Kingston, he loves the big games against the likes of Rangers or Celtic and he loves the games against Hibs as well.

"He's proved his worth in the big games for Hearts in the past and he will probably do it again on Saturday.

"With someone like him in your side you know that you have got someone who is capable of being a match-winner. When he plays well the rest of the team plays well and hopefully that will prove to be the case this weekend."

Of course, the Jambos face something of a selection crisis, having had Lee Wallace and Marius Zaliukas red-carded against Aberdeen last weekend but Mackay is confident that manager Csaba Laszlo has options available to him, adding: "I thought that it was a harsh decision for Marius to be sent off, but Csaba has a few players who can come in a fill the gap.

"The main issue for me is who to play at left-back in Lee's absence and I think that, having played him in there earlier in the season at Celtic Park, he will give Eggert Jonsson a chance in there.

"He will probably bring Christos Karipidis into the centre of defence and hopefully Bruno Aguiar will be available for selection again as well because he is a real catalyst for Hearts."

Both sides have enjoyed decent results in recent weeks, Hibs having beaten Celtic at Easter Road and Hearts having strung together a run of seven games undefeated in the SPL prior to the weekend's loss to Aberdeen.

And that makes the derby clashes much harder to call for Mackay, who added: "This derby, as they all are, is so hard to call.

"Hearts went into the previous game on the back of a poor run and everyone was predicting a defeat for them – and a heavy one at that – but they went to Easter Road and gave a good account of themselves and came away with a point.

"Both sides have had good performances over the course of the last few weeks, Hearts have been on a decent run and Hibs beat Celtic at Easter Road.

"We know that, on their day, either side is more than capable of beating anyone in the league. It's just down to who is hungrier and who performs best on the day.

"You can be playing well in the run up to these kinds of games but then it might not go right for you on the day. That's what derbies are all about."

However, while the former Hearts midfielder is playing his cards close to his chest over what outcome he expects at Tynecastle on Saturday, he admits that the fact Hibs leaked four goals to Kilmarnock could be a sign of some weakness that his old side could exploit. "At Pittodrie on Saturday I just couldn't see Hearts scoring, never mind winning and then that gets you thinking about the derby.

"But then the result came through from Easter Road and I don't think many people expected that, especially when the Kilmarnock goalkeeper had been sent off."

And, risking the wrath of his old adversary Jim Jefferies, Mackay laughed: "Jim and Billy might not be too happy with me here, but Kilmarnock don't score four goals away from home in a season so the scoreline was a surprise to me!

"But it's maybe a wee sign that they're struggling a wee bit at the back and Hearts will obviously be hoping they can make the most of it."

Taken from the Scotsman