HEARTS manager Craig Levein has vowed his side will go out "all guns blazing" in Tuesday’s first Edinburgh derby of the season against Hibs.

However, his instructions prior to the televised Easter Road showdown will not involve encouraging the players to indulge in the kind of underhand gamesmanship that was prevalent during his days on the pitch.

“When I played in these matches, whoever got the first three or four low blows in usually won the game,” said Levein, who has only lost six of his 52 games against Hibs as a Hearts player and manager. “Now it’s kind of sterile. You can’t do anything off the ball, you used to be able to get away with loads of stuff. Now you have to play by the rules because the cameras can spot you.”

A commanding centre-half in his heyday, Levein never shirked going toe-to-toe with whatever came his way against Hibs, but football has evolved since he was part of the memorable Hearts side that enjoyed a 22-game unbeaten run against their city rivals. Players now run the risk of facing retrospective Scottish FA punishment for any off-the-ball incidents, while what was once construed as a good, honest full-blooded tackle, is now regarded as a sending off offence.

“Things are different. I’m probably a bit different as well. Players are not as tough as they used to be; that’s been gradually taken out of the game going away back to (former Uefa and Fifa administrator) Michel Platini’s influence on football.

“I mean the physicality of the game has changed enormously and because of that, the mental side is going to follow. It’s all changed and the game has changed. Because the game has changed, the way they’re refereed has changed and the game has become cleaner and less physical.”

Make no mistake though, Levein will make sure his players are in their Hibs counterparts’ faces on Tuesday as they look to claim derby bragging rights for the first time in over three years.

Neil Lennon’s side are uneaten in the last seven capital showdowns. February’s Scottish Cup defeat to Hibs under Ian Cathro’s reign was particularly sore for the Hearts supporters, the Tynecastle side passively collapsing to a 3-1 defeat.

“We haven't had the better of the derbies in recent years so for me it's all guns blazing to turn that round," Levein said. “At this moment in time that's what's required to win this match. We need to play with our foot to the floor.

“Neil has done a really good job. He got them up, they're playing really good football, they've got some good Scottish Premiership players and they've proved that. The occasion won't faze Neil either, he's been involved in Old Firm matches. Both of us have been through enough derbies to know what it’s all about.”