Derek McInnes is convinced Rangers can thrive on the hostility that awaits them on Wednesday night - because they've already proved it this season.

The Ibrox boss referenced his side's 1-0 derby win at Celtic Park in September - where Rangers had no fans in the 60,000 crowd - as the template for how to end Hearts' 18-month unbeaten home run and silence a febrile Tynecastle.

McInnes, who is returning to Gorgie for the first time since his summer exit, said: "I remember when we beat Celtic at Ibrox [3-0 in the League Cup], we said it would be different the following week.

"Of course, it's a totally different set of circumstances, but we still had to deal with the game.

"There's a lot of talk when there's these big games, and obviously there's a lot of talk about this one tomorrow night, but ultimately the players have to perform at their level. I felt we got that in that game.

"Despite the circumstances, despite not having any fans, despite the intimidating atmosphere, I take comfort in the fact that they were so confident with their work, very assured.

"You need to work for that confidence, you need to work for that authority in a game. It doesn't just come because you've turned up and done it before.

"Tomorrow's a different game, but there are similarities in terms of how we deal with it."

While there has been much change at Hearts since McInnes was replaced by Wouter Vrancken, the Rangers boss revealed goalkeeper Beau Reus is the only new Tynecastle recruit he didn't have a hand in bringing to the club.

"The goalkeeper is the only player I didn't sign or work with," he said. "Although I hadn't worked directly with a lot of the new signings, they were players I had numerous Zoom calls and conversations with.

"Even at the end of last season, during the first week of my holiday, I was speaking to Tom Renaud, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, MJ Kamara and Amadou Ba-Sy.

"It means you feel you have a wee in with those guys. It's somebody else's job to bring those boys on now.

"They've got their job to do but they've shown enough encouragement this season to suggest they will be title contenders again. They are such a well-run club."