CHRISTOPHE Berra reckons a derby clash with Hibernian could be the game to kick-start Hearts' preparations for the Scottish Cup final next month.
Craig Levein's side went down 3-1 to Rangers on Saturday in their first post-split Premiership fixture.
Hearts have won just two of their last six outings but the semi-final victory over Inverness Caley Thistle last weekend could prove to be one of their most significant of the campaign.
Levein takes his Jambos to Easter Road on Sunday and captain Berra is determined to get back on track for the season run-in.
He said: "Everyone will be looking forward to the final and it’s a one-off game on a big occasion.
“Naturally, that gives you an extra 10 per cent, we’ll have nothing to lose, we’ll be underdogs and hope we have a good gameplan and give it a go. We don't want to go there in bad form and every game we play, we want to win.
“Saturday wasn’t good enough, but we’ve been in positions before when we’ve had a couple of bad results, yet have then picked up a big win. There’s no better place to do that than in a cup.
“We have bigger fish to fry before that starting with next week at Easter Road. We have good memories of our last time there and we will be going out to do the same thing again.
“It’s a massive game. They beat us here recently, but we probably created more chances in that game that we had in the three or four previous derbies and just didn’t hit the target.
“We’re looking forward to it. Will the last defeat help as motivation? You learn as a sportsman that you have to bounce back. If you don’t, it’s a tough old sport to be playing for 10 or 15 years. You dust yourself down and get on with it. You have to do that."
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