Neil Critchley's tenure as Heart of Midlothian head coach can get off to the perfect start on Sunday afternoon should he lead his side to a win in the Edinburgh derby.

It is a case of so far so good since being unveiled as Steven Naismith's replacement. A 4-0 win over St Mirren, the team's first in the league, was followed by a 2-0 victory over Omonia Nicosia, a result that puts Hearts on the cusp of reaching the knockout stage of the Conference League.

Success in the first Capital meeting of the season will elevate those two results further and the mood amongst the support. In terms of the league table, three points could only take Hearts up to 10th but it would also leave Hibs adrift at the bottom.

With it being the third game in a week it will be interesting to see what team Neil Critchley picks.

It can be assumed, albeit with a small sample size, that there is a spine to the team. Craig Gordon, Frankie Kent, Kye Rowles, Malachi Boateng, Blair Spittal, Kenneth Vargas and Lawrence Shankland.

When discussion was had earlier in the campaign about rotation, it is vitally important that when changes are made there is continuity within the line-up. Those seven have brought that so far. That's not to say some of those will drop out every now and then but it seems that in big, important games those seven won't be far away from the line-up.

Beni Baningime is more than likely to return to the starting XI alongside Boateng should he have recovered. He's another who could be in the above group but is not someone who is going to start three games in a week all that often.

The full-back positions look like they could rotate often. It makes sense considering the demands that are placed on the full-backs during games and it has already been seen how they can even be switched during the game. 

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Daniel Oyegoke will provide more height and physicality to the back line. Hibs are not a small team while James Penrice will provide the attacking thrust down the left. Add in the fact, Stephen Kingsley limped off on Thursday.

In turn, should Critchley want flexibility in his team around the system it would mean Oyegoke tucking in as a third centre-back when needed and Penrice pushed higher up the park.

It therefore leaves one decision, Alan Forrest or Yan Dhanda? 

In a game like today's, Forrest may be the better bet. Everyone knows what the derby can be like. Hectic, high paced and the ball treated like pass the parcel. Only the parcel is a ticking bomb. It is more suited to Forrest who will provide a bit more off the ball. Sometimes you need the guy who 'can do a job' and Forrest is that guy.

Dhanda is a perfect option from the bench when the game eventually calms down and slows down. If Hearts were needing someone to come off the bench and change the game, Dhanda falls into that category. 

(Image: BeFunky)