SAM NICHOLSON hopes there could yet be an Edinburgh derby this season with both teams still going strong in the League Cup. Nicholson scored a late, late winner away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night to book Hearts’ place in the quarter-finals, with Hibernian joining them courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen. With Hearts in the Premiership after winning promotion in May and their city rivals still in the Championship, there will be no league meeting this season between these sides for the first time in 16 years. Little surprise then that Nicholson thinks it would be welcomed by the whole of the capital if Hearts and Hibs were paired together in Monday’s draw.
“I think everyone would fancy an Edinburgh derby,” he said. “Hibs are doing well this season and we’ve had an alright season – apart from the last three league games. So it would be good to get Hibs for the fans of both sides. But we just have to take it game by game and deal with whatever is out in front of us. Every team we could get is going to be hard so we need to be ready.”
Wednesday night’s come-from-behind victory ended a run of three consecutive losses for Hearts but Nicholson felt it was never going to be as easy as last year when Robbie Neilson’s side raced into an early lead and went on to win the Championship at a canter.
“It was always going to be hard to do what we did last year,” added the forward. “We are in a harder league against better teams and we don’t get away with as much as we did last season, like silly little things but we will learn and get over them.
“It’s definitely a quicker tempo. You are also coming up against more experienced players. Last season we were sometimes playing against part-time teams – and they were still brilliant – but I have noticed the difference.
“It was going to be hard for any team to go undefeated no matter who you are – even Celtic and Aberdeen up at the top. We’ve still had a good start despite losing a few games and it’s great to be back to winning ways. We just need to kick on from here.”
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