Jambos confidence high

Hearts striker Steven Naismith insists his side has the hunger and the experience to end Celtic’s dominance of the League Cup tomorrow.

The Jambos face the double-treble winners at Murrayfield for a place in the final and, having beaten the Hoops at Tynecastle already this season in the league Naismith is confident of a capital double for his side.

He said: “We’ve shown that we have the fight and the quality in the squad.

“The biggest difference this season is that we have a lot of hungry players who, not matter the occasion, just want to go out and do well.

“We’ve also got a lot of older heads who have been there and done it, who know what to expect, know what it takes – and hopefully that will bring a calmness for us.”

Brendan Rodgers has won every domestic trophy since arriving in Scottish football in the summer of 2016 but Hearts manager Craig Levein joked it is time for other clubs to have a chance at lifting silverware.

He said: “They can afford not to win this one. It’s being greedy isn’t it?

“Celtic have been fantastic. They look like they are finding their form in the league on the last couple of performances and results.

“But I think that we are better and that’s what gives me more confidence.”