Sibbick: our focus is on Rangers in the league

Toby Sibbick believes that a result at Ibrox on Sunday (15.00) could kick-start the season for Hearts. The cinch Premiership fixture opens a big week for the Jambos with Livingston due at Tynecastle on Wednesday (19.45) followed by a trip to Hampden to meet the Ibrox side again, this time in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.

The versatile player (pictured in training at The Oriam) said the semi-final was something to look forward to but the focus was the league game on Sunday and how Hearts can hurt Rangers and take three points.

As a group, he said, Hearts are taking one game as a time and once the team get past Rangers who have won four and drawn one of their previous five meetings with the Gorgie side. Then there is Livingston.

The focus is on Sunday and Sibbick was watching on Thursday as Rangers drew 0-0 with Sparta Prague in the Europa League group stage, trying to pick up tips to help on Sunday.

He revealed: “I did not personally look at highlights of Rangers win over Hibs last weekend but we have been looking at clips and we have been seeing the pattern of how they like to play.

“We need to be more on the front foot, to trust ourselves and trust in our ability.”

The 4-1 defeat by Celtic at Tynecastle now history and the 24-year-old added: “We don’t want to dwell on the result. The result hurts at the time but we are in a new week now, there is another game coming up and this is a chance to move on.

“I think there was a little bit of naivety (against Celtic) but now we have done a lot of defensive work in terms of structure and hopefully that will help us move forward into Sunday and hopefully we can show a better defensive capability then.”