Hearts ended a nine-game run without a Ladbrokes Premiership home win last month but have since conceded eight goals without reply on the road against Kilmarnock and Rangers.

Caretaker boss Austin MacPhee admitted after Sunday's 5-0 defeat by Rangers that the uncertainty over the manager's role was a situation that needed to be carefully managed.

Holt said: "They went to Ibrox on Sunday, not many teams have gone there and done well.

"We actually played well there and came away with a 3-1 defeat. Both Old Firm teams are brushing everyone aside, and that's in Europe and our league.

"So don't be too hard on them, don't be too hard on themselves. We know it's going to be tough, we know how we need to approach the game and let's see what we can get.

"We want to go there with the mind-set to win the game, we are not going there trying to frustrate them."

Livingston have only won once in 12 games and drew 0-0 at home to Hamilton on Saturday after a difficult run of fixtures.

"In the cold light of day when you look at it back we actually did create some good chances," Holt said.

"I would like people to shoot a bit more but that's maybe symptomatic of where we have been in the last few weeks of being in a shape against Rangers and Celtic when you are not going to have a lot of the ball. Saturday we had nearly 60 per cent possession.

"You have to trust yourself to go and play and make things happen but we tried to win the game, we got a clean sheet and everyone could see the boys were trying their hardest."

Midfielder Marvin Bartley is one of three fresh fitness doubts for Wednesday's trip to Edinburgh.

"He came down sore on his back," Holt said. "Wee Robbie (Crawford) has an injured forearm and rib so we will have to see how he recovers. Steven Lawson has got a wee niggle as well."