Hibernian go head-to-head with old foes Heart of Midlothian on Wednesday night in another Edinburgh derby. It's a big one too, a Scottish Cup replay to decide who gets to play Ayr United at home for a place in the semi-finals of the competition. There has to be a winner on the night and the match will be played in front of a sold out Easter Road.

Fans packing into the Leith San Siro will be hoping for a better match than the first encounter between the two this season, a drab 0-0 affair better left forgotten. Both Hibs boss Neil Lennon and Hearts manager Ian Cathro acknowledge their sides could have and should have played better, though the playing surface at Tynecastle will have had a huge effect on proceedings.

After a poor result away to Raith Rovers at the weekend, Lennon will be looking for a reaction in the derby after blasting his side's 'disgraceful' performance after the game. This is a hugely important game for the Cabbage and Ribs, who surely will not live the notion of losing the Scottish Cup at home to their bitter rivals.

So, what can Hibs do differently from the match at Tynecastle?

Here are THREE things Lennon needs to change if they're to get a result against their city rivals...

Be proactive, not reactive

Despite being in the Championship and facing Premiership opponents, you can't deny Hibernian competed well with Hearts at Tynecastle. They countered the threat of Jamie Walker and Malaury Martin perfectly, isolating them from striking danger man Esmael Goncalves and frustrating the Jam Tarts for the entire 90 minutes.

That was away from home though in the fiery and intimidating surroundings of Tynecastle. What they need to do at Easter Road is focus on their own game and be a bit more ambitious in their own attacking efforts.

With the likes of James Keatings, Jason Cummings and John McGinn they have plenty of goal threat of their own and must find a way to unlock that potential in the final third on Wednesday night.

Get their passing game going

Everyone involved in the occasion at Tynecastle has acknowledged that the pitch wasn't conducive to good football in the first encounter, meaning that the game became a physical battle rather than one defined by good football and slick passing.

At Easter Road, Neil Lennon's side need to change that and play to their strengths. They've proven they can physically match Ian Cathro's Hearts side and it's time to show they can play them off the pitch too in a traditionally Hibs manner.

The players are certainly looking forward to Wednesday night and the opportunity to play a more stylish game.

As quoted by The Daily Record, Hibs veteran Lewis Stevenson recently said:

"I’m sure the surface at Easter Road will be a bit better and it will probably suit both teams. I’m sure it’s going to be a very different game of football and hopefully one where football gets a chance to show."

For all our sakes, let's hope he is right.

Use the psychological advantage

Despite the 0-0 scoreline at Tynecastle Neil Lennon was pleased with his side's performance and reckoned that it marked a massive shift in the perception of the two teams in the derby compared to recent seasons.

Quoted by Deadline News, Lennon said:

"You can see the psychological shift between the two clubs. Hibs are strong now. Hearts are strong, but in years gone by they were the dominant team and that’s not the case any more."

Now his side must use that 'psychological shift' and go into the game with no fear and no qualms about sticking a few past Ian Cathro's Hearts side.

The Hibees are now unbeaten in six matches against their city rivals after suffering 12 defeats in the previous 20 encounters between the sides, winning just three. The expectation that Hibs are more than likely going to lose the fixture has dissipated amongst the team and their supporters and if they can use this new confidence to their advantage then they can give their neighbours something to think about on Wednesday.