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Given the extent to which the Old Firm rivalry dominates the landscape of Scottish football, it is inevitable that so many people will view it at as the only show in town.
Two massive institutions who tower above the rest in terms of stature and fanbase, with a passion that few other games in world football could match, it stands alone as the showpiece fixture in this country.
The Old Firm derby has long been established as the jewel in the broadcaster’s crown, with the Sky Sports TV deal heavily reliant on showing the clash between Glasgow’s bitter rivals four times a season.
But the obsession with the Old Firm fixture can, at times, be to the detriment of some of the other rivalries in Scottish football.
The relentless desire to focus on the big two somewhat overlooks the excitement and drama that can often be found elsewhere. Step forward, Hearts and Hibs.
Rather than playing second fiddle, the Edinburgh derby has been given a primetime slot on Saturday night as the teams clash under the lights at Tynecastle, with the match being shown on Premier Sports.
Saturday night's Edinburgh derby will be THE must-watch match of the footballing weekend
James Wilson scores a late equaliser in October last year when both club were struggling
The recent goalless Old Firm match at Ibrox was a really poor advert for Scottish football
It will be the main event of the weekend in Scottish football — and has legitimate claims as being the biggest game of the season so far.
When Rangers and Celtic met at Ibrox in late August, it proved to be one of the most awful football matches anyone could ever wish to witness.
As written in these pages back at the time, it was a game so ugly it could have cracked mirrors, with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers admitting it had been a ‘brutal’ affair.
It was 90 minutes of absolute dross and drudgery from two teams whose trials and tribulations have opened the door to a potential title challenge from elsewhere.
For anyone who has been living under a rock for the past couple of months, Hearts have started the new season like a steam train.
Derek McInnes’ side currently sit top of the league, two points clear of Celtic, after five wins and a draw from their opening six matches.
Hearts have started the season like a train, raising hopes that they can mount a title challenge
For all McInnes may wish to play it all down, an early demonstration of their title credentials was served when they went to Ibrox and beat Rangers 2-0 a few weeks ago.
They backed that up with a 3-0 home win over Falkirk last weekend, with David Gray’s Hibs now set to make the trip to Gorgie on the back of a creditable 0-0 draw away at Celtic last Saturday.
After such an impressive season last year, Hibs had been leaking far too many goals in the early part of the new campaign as they tried to balance domestic and European football.
But, led by excellent displays from goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger and Scotland centre-back Grant Hanley, taking a point from Celtic Park was a timely reminder of their capabilities.
Hibs would love nothing more than to go to Tynecastle and win, taking a pin and popping the balloon of optimism that has started to grow around Hearts in recent weeks.
There can be few things more satisfying in football than going away from home against your bitter rivals and playing the role of party poopers.
Hibs stars belt out club anthem Sunshine on Leith after a derby win at Easter Road last season
If Hearts were to lose on Saturday, it would be a reality check for McInnes and his players. But if they were to win, it would only underline their title credentials and strengthen the belief that something special is building.
It was around this time 10 years ago that Leicester City were in the process of ripping up the script in the English Premier League.
With Claudio Ranieri working his magic as manager, the momentum built steadily over the course of the season as Leicester continued to grind out win after win.
They jumped hurdle after hurdle when so many naysayers expected them to fall flat on their face. But at no point did the bubble burst.
Ultimately, the season would finish with Andrea Bocelli belting out Nessun dorma on the pitch to bring down the curtain on arguably the greatest footballing fairytale ever told.
If Leicester could do it, why shouldn’t Hearts have genuine ambitions of winning the league this season? Given that Celtic and Rangers have a multitude of problems on and off the pitch, the door is open for them.
Claudio Ranieri holds aloft the English Premier League trophy after the Foxes fairytale in 2016
It is so often the case that clubs such as Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs view success as a third-placed finish and a good cup run.
But this isn’t a normal season. Nor was it a normal season in England back in 2015-2016. With the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham all faltering, Leicester pounced on their opportunity.
They profited from a perfect storm. The new season may still be in its infancy, but there are obvious parallels to be drawn from that campaign and what we are now seeing in Scottish football.
When Hearts and Hibs met in the first derby of last season at Easter Road, they were mired at the bottom of the table.
A 1-1 draw saw both clubs languishing in the two relegation spots. What a difference a year makes, with Hibs going on to qualify for Europe and Hearts now believing they can mount a title challenge.
Derek McInnes has sought to play down talk of Hearts' credentials but momentum is building
McInnes will only be able to talk it down for so long. This is the biggest game of the season so far, one which could illuminate Tony Bloom’s vision of disrupting the natural order of Scottish football.
When he explained his plans for Hearts to disrupt the duopoly of the Old Firm clubs, Bloom didn’t necessarily expect it to happen this season.
But if Celtic and Rangers continue to falter, it would be remiss of Hearts to fail to recognise just what a brilliant opportunity they have on their hands.
Given top billing in Saturday night’s main event, this is a chance for them to underline the belief that something very special could well be brewing in Gorgie this season.
