Lawrence Shankland says the Edinburgh derby presents the perfect chance for Hearts to get back on track.
The Gorgie side have been much changed in the space of a week with long-term boss Robbie Neilson sacked following last weekend's defeat against St Mirren. A horror run of form has resulted in the Jambos dropping to fourth in the Premiership standings behind Aberdeen with just seven games to play.
Steven Naismith has taken up the role of interim boss until the summer with his first task to get the capital club back to winning ways at Easter Road in a huge derby showdown. Robert Snodgrass - who had been ever-present - is also unlikely to play for the club again in what has proved to be what Shankland describes as a 'hectic' period for his side.
READ MORE: Hibs vs Hearts on TV: Channel, live stream and kick-off details for crunch Edinburgh derby clash
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But he has also hailed it as a 'fresh start' and wants to put things right and give the fans something to shout about, starting in Leith tomorrow afternoon.
He told the Hearts website: “It’s been hectic at times with the manager leaving and Naisy coming in. It’s a fresh start for the boys, it’s all new, so maybe that can help bring a bit of confidence. As players, we have a chance to put things right.
“Naisy’s given us his ideas of how we wants us to play and go into the game. As I’ve said, it’s a great opportunity to go and put things right. It’s a massive derby game.
“If you can win that, then collectively, things start to come together again, and you get a good feeling about the place. Winning football games breeds confidence and that’s what we’ll be looking to do, starting this weekend.
“Every time you go into a derby match, you’re looking to win. That goes for both teams. Like I said, we’ve got our game plan and we’ll go there looking to come out on top."
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