Eva Olid says her Heart of Midlothian Women side are more mentally prepared for the upcoming Edinburgh derby than previous meetings with Hibernian at Tynecastle Park.

Hearts go into this Sunday’s huge match in third place in the Scottish Women’s Premier League 1 but just one point off league leaders Glasgow City.

They take on a Hibs side in decent form themselves and four points behind Hearts in fifth.

Previous Edinburgh derbies at Tynecastle have not all gone to plan.

Last season, Olid’s side won the home derby at Oriam but came up short in Gorgie, losing 1-0 to a Charlotte Parker-Smith own goal.

The season before it was a similar story, though with a draw instead at Tynecastle. The year before that was a 3-1 win for Hibs at Tynecastle.

But Olid thinks her charges are in a better place now, having won their last four – scoring 16 goals without reply in the process.

They will also be buoyed by the 4-0 win at Easter Road earlier in the season.

“I feel the group this time is more prepared in terms of mentally and play than previous years,” said Olid. “Especially mentally because in previous years I think that was a mental thing.

“Every time that we were playing at Tynecastle, emotions were too much, and that affected our performance. I have total confidence that this time will be totally different.”

Mentality is something the Hearts boss said she will have to focus on ahead of Sunday’s derby, but otherwise it is treated as any other match.

"Every week we have the same way to work, the same structure of training,” she added. “We have the same meetings, we don't do anything special this week. We work so hard every week. This week has not been different.

"The only thing that I try these weeks to talk to them about is the emotional part, a mental part. You need extra preparation in terms of that. But in terms of the football game, the plan is every week the same.

"The last time we won the derby, of course it was three points, but to win there was so special for the first time[at Easter Road]. A win here in our stadium then can be more special, of course.

“It doesn’t change because I always say we have to go week by week and try every week to work hard, get the three points and see where we can go? We never specify an objective. Yeah, we know that we want to be pushing high in the table but we didn’t specify too much because you never know.

“An important thing is to be there, not the points difference like previous seasons with the best teams in the league, we want to be with them.”

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Georgia Timms and Kerry Beattie are set to return from injury for Sunday’s match, meaning Olid has almost a full squad to choose from. The only players missing are long-term absentees Carly Girasoli and Georgia Hunter.

Hibs are in great form themselves and will be no pushovers, despite the 4-0 defeat for them the last time the teams met.

“They will come so, so strong, of course with less pressure because they are playing away,” said Olid. “I feel like it is going to be a really good game – anything can happen.

"For the moment, it feels like a normal week. We are training so hard. Yesterday we had a really good session and I feel they are happy and feeling comfortable."

Tickets for Sunday's 4.15pm kick-off at Tynecastle are free and can be picked up HERE