Hibernian midfielder Jamie McGrath will be suspended for the next two Scottish Premiership games after his red card against Celtic was officially classed as serious foul play. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
The defeat at the weekend against Celtic was another hammer blow for David Gray and his Hibs players.
There is no doubting the effort was there throughout, but for the third game in a row they had to play the majority of the match with a reduced number of players.
Jamie McGrath has been arguably the player of the season for Hibs, but his rashness in the tackle that led to his red card was a costly and ultimately decisive moment in the game.
With just three games left to play, there is now no wriggle room as they attempt to reel in Motherwell in the battle for fourth.
It is, however, very much out of their own hands and will require Hearts to do them a favour when they travel to Fir Park for the late kick-off on Saturday.
Prior to that, Hibs travel to Falkirk, who, under John McGlynn, have had such an exciting and profitable campaign in their first top-flight season for 15 years.
The Hibs players cannot afford to think of the end of the season that is now on the horizon with the Bairns just two points behind.
Gray has been consistent all season in saying they need to show improvement season on season.
In last season's campaign, the Easter Road club ended with 58 points and, although this total can still be beaten, it will take three wins from their final three fixtures for it to be surpassed.
There will be a fairly major overhaul of players come the close of the season, and work is now well under way in rebuilding the squad for the next campaign.
On-loan players will return to their respective clubs, and stalwarts like Martin Boyle will move on to pastures new.
Arguably, the work to ensure there is a competitive squad next season to challenge at the top end may well be more important than what happens between now and the end of the current season.
Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson has confirmed Hibernian striker Owen Elding intends to play for his team amid continued passport issues. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Matty Fairnie
Fan writer
What a horrible afternoon it was at Easter Road on Sunday.
Plenty of fans stayed away, choosing to do something else rather than watch a game where opinions were split on whether a Hibs win would actually be a good thing.
For the avoidance of doubt, I can't imagine I'll ever see a day when I head to Easter Road hoping for a Hibs loss, and I certainly wanted us to win on Sunday.
Whatever happens with the title will be decided elsewhere, and whoever wins it will deserve it as the best team over the course of the season.
We've had plenty of opportunities to do something meaningful about it and came up short.
Despite what some fans wanted, there was never any doubt that David Gray would set his side up to win the game.
With Motherwell having lost to Falkirk on Saturday, his team had the dual incentive of trying to close the gap on fourth place while maintaining some breathing space above sixth.
For the third successive game, we found ourselves down to 10 men early in the match, and the game was effectively killed as a spectacle at that point.
Gray must make keeping 11 men on the pitch a priority, as the past three defeats have killed our ambitions for the season.
It's not only the points that the red cards have cost us, though. The games have also been murder to watch as a result - 270 minutes of Hibs barely laying a glove on their opponents, including against Hearts and Celtic at Easter Road.
It is unacceptable, and the players must do better for Gray.
It's been a horrible season - one that promised so much but now looks likely to end in the worst possible way.
We now head to Falkirk, where we produced one of the worst performances of the season last time, needing a win to ensure we don't put fifth place at risk. And fifth place is far from a good season as it is.
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSHibernian captain Joe Newell says he feared his equaliser against Celtic was going to be ruled out when a VAR check was announced for a potential handball by the midfielder.
The goal was allowed to stand due to insufficient evidence being shown to the VAR, Don Robertson, therefore the on-field decision of a goal stood.
Newell, whose side went on to lose the game 2-1, says the rules regarding the incident are fairly complex for everyone involved.
"To be completely honest, who knows the rules anymore? I don't know. Being completely honest, I thought my arm was by my side for starters," he said.
"I haven't seen any replay, that's the truth. So I don't know. But just from what I remember, I felt like it was kind of between my hip bone and my arm.
"And I don't know if it hit it or not. But I didn't have that elation because I kind of thought, hmm, who knows now.
"And then when it was getting checked and it was an offside check and a handball check, you're kind of thinking, oh, it's not going to go your way. I've not seen any replays or anything.
"So I don't actually know. But yeah, who knows anymore? I don't know. You know the rule. I don't know the rule. Who knows?".
Celtic scored a winner in the second half, but Newell says his team are giving themselves mountains to climb by having players sent off.
Jamie McGrath was the fourth Hibs player to see red in their past three matches.
"There's a lot to be done with 10 men again," he said. "The boys dug in as expected. As I would expect, as everyone kind of expects of that group.
"But we fell short. It's a bit of a killer that comes from a set-piece. You kind of always feel like that can be avoided. So on the whole, I thought we defended really well again.
"I feel like we just were not giving ourselves enough of a chance - nowhere near enough of a chance - to get a foothold in any game."
The official attendance was over 18,000, but there were huge gaps where Hibs season ticket holders decided not to attend.
Some Hibs fans were not concerned about losing on Sunday because the result would not have aided Hearts' chances of winning the title.
Newell says he could sense the atmosphere was not quite what he would expect for such an important game.
"Going out for the warm-up, you can see the crowd. I don't know the exact numbers, but you can see it was a bit lower than usual," he added.
"One thing I would say, I completely get it. I've got plenty of mates who are Hibs fans and they've all been speaking to me. So I completely understand the situation.
"But you play for Hibernian Football Club. This is a massive, massive club - a massive privilege.
"So every time you go out there, you're expected to play for the fans, for the people who turn up, for the club, the manager, yourself and the team. And that's the way it was."
We asked for your views after 10-man Hibernian fell to a narrow Scottish Premiership defeat against title-chasing Celtic.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Ringo: To be honest, I'd never want Hibs to lose a game, but on this occasion I am happy they did. For me, I would never want to help Hearts win the league. To be fair, Hibs never lay down to Celtic and just about stole a draw at the end. It's been a poor season and I don't think we will win another game this season. Let's see if they can prove me wrong though.
Jim: The discipline lately has been diabolical and has cost us points. Fourth place is now gone and we need to get a result against Falkirk to hold on to fifth. The only good thing to come out of this game is that Celtic gained three points on Hearts.
Colin: Shot ourselves in the foot again! But once again, like Hearts, Celtic struggled to break us down. Some great defensive play again. I think we wouldn't have lost to either team if we'd kept 11 players on the park.
Kieron: Yet another game where you felt if we had kept 11 men on the park we'd have got something from it. Kanayo Megwa and Miguel Chaiwa seem to be forming a good partnership as Celtic were struggling to create anything down that side of the pitch, and a lot of that was down to them.
Chris: Another game, another player with no discipline. Our defenders look good and yet we still lose. Our midfield and strikers get no chance because individuals can't control themselves, which then comes down to the coaching and the discipline passed down from the management. If we lose next week, which is becoming a real possibility, then sorry - David Gray out.
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Watch Celtic boost their Scottish Premiership title bid by edging out 10-man Hibernian at Easter Road.
Available in UK only
Celtic laboured to take advantage of Hibernian's fourth red card in three games before securing a victory that lifts them level on points with Heart of Midlothian at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Read the full match report here.
Have your say on the game here.
Image source, SNSHibernian head coach David Gray told BBC Sportsound: "It's like déjà vu in terms of going down to 10 men again.
"I thought Celtic started fast, as you would expect, but when you go down to 10 men, after everything I spoke about before the game about giving us the best possible chance to win, it makes it extremely difficult.
"I can't defend the red card. It's not the character and there's no intent there but it's a red card because of where the contact is.
"You want to be in it for the last 10 minutes to have a go, and we did that today. We had a real go at the end and had a big chance. When you get those chances you need to take them.
"The biggest frustration for me is the goals that we concede are avoidable, even with 10 men. One is a set piece and the other we have enough bodies in the box to deal with that, it's nothing to do with being a man down."
Defeat means Hibernian remain sixc poitns behind fourth-placed Motherwell and with an inferior goal difference, but Gray says the team have to do what they can in theri remaining three games, and be aware Falkirk are intent on leapfrogging them.
"We still want to achieve the same thing," he said. "Right now it's difficult because we've missed an opportunity today after the door opened yesterday with Motherwell dropping points.
"We're relying on them to drop points again but all we can do, while it's mathematically possible, is try.
"Falkirk will be thinking the same thing trying to catch us. We know we've got a tough game next weekend and we had a poor showing last time there, so we definitely want to atone for that.
"It's probably going to take three wins now and you're hoping for other results to go your way."
Image source, SNSAberdeen are exploring a deal for Martin Boyle, 33, who will leave Hibernian in the summer once his contract expires. (Sky Sports on X), external
Image source, SNSHibernian trio Grant Hanley, Raphael Sallinger and Felix Passlack are suspended, while Rudi Molotnikov (ankle) and Munashe Garananga (hamstring) are still out. Josh Mulligan has a chance of being involved after an ankle injury.
Martin O'Neill has no new injuries. Jota (knee), Colby Donovan (hamstring), Julian Araujo (thigh), Kasper Schmeichel (shoulder) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) remain out.
Hibernian head coach David Gray is sure of full support from the home fans when second-placed Celtic visit Easter Road on Sunday, after suggestions Hibs fans would prefer Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts not to win the league. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSHibs head coach David Gray says the club must keep pushing for a European place despite the odds being stacked against them.
Fourth-place Motherwell's win at Ibrox last weekend moved them six points clear of Hibs, who lost to Hearts.
With just four games left Gray knows time is running out for his team to achieve their objective, but – with the two sides due to meet at Easter Road on the last day of the season – he still believes they have a chance.
"Before we went into the split, with the remaining five fixtures, we set a target internally of the amount of points we think we're going to require to try and finish fourth," he said prior to Sunday's visit from Celtic.
"That is still achievable. It's in a position now where, because of results [last weekend], we are relying on other results, but I think the first weekend of the split fixtures shows that there will be many twists and turns.
"Everyone's still got something to play for.
"Obviously, we play on Sunday, so we'll have an idea of what happens on Saturday [when Motherwell visit Falkirk]. But all we can do is keep our own house in order and make sure we get the maximum that we can."
Should Celtic win their Scottish Cup final later this month against Dunfermline, the additional European place will go to the fifth-placed Premiership team.
Hibs' cause on Sunday against Martin O'Neill's side is not helped by the fact they will be without three key players through suspension.
Defender Grant Hanley is still banned following his red card at Aberdeen three weeks ago, while goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger and wing-back Felix Passlack are out after being sent off in the 2-1 defeat by Hearts.
"There's been no finger-pointing," said Gray, reflecting on how Hibs' squad have reacted to their dramatic derby defeat.
"Again it's credit to the group, getting around players and keeping the group together and that closeness and the togetherness that's there every day.
"This week it was Felix and Rapha making a mistake, but it could be someone else next week, it could be someone else at other times.
"It's very much about making sure that you learn from the mistakes but, more importantly, that you all stick together during those times and you bounce back as quick as you can."
Image source, SNSHibs won 2-1 at Parkhead in February
Scott Allan knows a Hearts title win is the "worst nightmare" of Hibs fans - but insists David Gray's players will have no thoughts of taking it easy against Celtic on Sunday.
A win for Celtic at Easter Road would move them level on points with Hibs' Edinburgh rivals Hearts at the top.
Hibs still have their own targets to chase, with Motherwell six points clear in fourth, which is the final guaranteed European spot.
Former midfielder Allan, who played for Hibs and Celtic, told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast: "I know a lot of Hibs fans from Edinburgh who would be quite happy if their team maybe don't win on Sunday, which is incredible.
"For a Hibs fan, their worst nightmare is Hearts winning the league. There's no getting away from that.
"When you're a player of a club, you just don't have that mindset. So they'll be going out feeling they can get a win and they've shown they can beat Celtic.
"They obviously won at Parkhead, they made it hard at Easter Road. Historically, over the last few years it has been a difficult place for Celtic to go.
"I think Hibs have some some really good players within their squad. Felix Passlack will be a big miss. He's been excellent since he came in in January.
"But it's a game David Gray and his players will think, 'If we can get three points and if something could happen in our favour when Falkirk face Motherwell, then we will edge closer [to fourth spot] again.'
"And then they play each other on the last game of the season, that could end up being an incredible game if Hibs manage to close that gap."
Image source, SNSCaptain Joe Newell has dismissed any notion Hibs will "lie down" to Celtic on Sunday.
A draw or victory for David Gray's side at Easter Road would help the title bid of Edinburgh rivals Hearts, who hold a three-point lead over Celtic with four games remaining.
Some Hibs fans would prefer their side to lose - but Newell is adamant there will be no easing off as they try to catch Motherwell in fourth.
"I completely get it," Newell said.
"The fact we're having the conversation shows there's obviously feelings like that, but you can only control what you can control.
"We're a group of professional athletes. We fight with each other over five-a-sides in training, so if you think we're going to lie down in front of thousands of people, in front of the Sky cameras, you're wrong.
"We'll be doing our utmost to win the game of football, it's as simple as that.
"Obviously, you see and hear things [from supporters], but the message throughout is obvious. Straight away, I can assure you there's no thinking of that.
"You play for this club, you're expected to do as well as you can. We've got our own targets that we haven't achieved yet and we need to, so in that respect, it's straightforward."
Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSHibernian head coach David Gray has been speaking to the media before the visit of Celtic on Sunday.
Here are the main points:
Gray says last weekend's derby loss to Hearts was "really difficult" for the staff and players but stresses: "My job is to make sure I lift the players as quick as I can."
He insists "there's been no finger pointing" after the 2-1 defeat in which goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger and Felix Passlack were sent off.
Gray says fourth place - and guaranteed European football - is "still achievable" but admits "we are relying on other results" after Motherwell beat Rangers to open a six-point gap with four games remaining.
The Hibs boss says his players can "take confidence" from their 2-1 win at Celtic Park in February but admits it doesn't make this weekend's game "any easier".
He is expecting more "twists and turns" before the end of the season and adds: "All we can do is keep our own house in order and make sure we get the maximum out the group that we can."
A Hibs victory on Sunday would help Hearts' title challenge and Gray understands some supporters may not want his side to win the game: "I grew up in the city, I know exactly what it's like." However, he insists Hibs need to do "everything we possibly can" in an effort to finish fourth.
While he understands "the noise around the game", Gray insists Hibs must remain focused on pushing for Europe and go "full pelt" into the final four games.
Josh Mulligan has trained all week but is a doubt for the game, as is Munashe Garanaga but Gray expects him back before the end of the season. Passlack and Sallinger are both suspended following their red cards.
After their 2-1 win in February, Hibernian could earn back-to-back league victories over Celtic for the first time since September 2007 under John Collins.
Celtic have won three of their past four league visits to Hibernian (L1), as many as their previous 15 beforehand (WAZ3 D8 L4).
Hibs have suffered back-to-back league defeats, but haven't lost three in a row in the Scottish Premiership since October 2024.
Celtic's run of three consecutive wins is the longest ongoing winning streak in the Premiership. Only from October to December have the Parkhead club had a longer league winning run this season (5) – when the fourth victory was away to Hibs (2-1) during Martin O'Neill's first interim spell.
Hibs have had three players sent off in their past two league games, including two against Hearts last weekend. It's as many red cards as they'd received in their previous 59 Scottish Premiership matches combined.
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Derby defeats always cut deep. This one will be no different for Hibernian, especially given the dream start and the significance of the occasion.
An early goal should have been the platform, but instead it became a reminder of what might have been. For over an hour, there was resilience and resolve.
The defensive line held firm under relentless pressure, with Rocky Bushiri standing tall - as immovable as the castle that looms over the capital.
The turning point, though, was unavoidable. Two red cards shifted the balance decisively. Energy drained, space opened, and eventually Hearts made their advantage count.
For David Gray, the focus now is on response. With four games remaining, there is little margin for error, and the gap to Motherwell - now six points after their result at Ibrox - only sharpens that reality.
Next up is a formidable test. Celtic arrive in strong form, their recent run of results pushing them firmly into contention. Momentum is with them, and they will come to Easter Road expecting to continue it.
But there is encouragement to be taken. Hibs have already shown they can compete, winning the last meeting at Celtic Park and earning a point on their travels earlier in the campaign. Those experiences should remove any sense of intimidation.
Team news may also offer a lift. Josh Mulligan could return, and his presence has been missed in recent weeks - a factor that has coincided with the inconsistency since the turn of the year.
Sunday now becomes pivotal. A positive result would not only steady the course but inject belief heading into the final stretch.
Matty Fairnie
Fan writer
It's hard to convey the feelings I had coming out of Easter Road on Sunday.
There was definitely disappointment, some pride in the performance of the nine men that stayed on the pitch, frustration at the two red-carded players, and anger at a referee that just would not pull out a yellow card for Hearts unless he was flashing one at Hibs at the same time.
It's a recurring pattern - Hearts avoided a single booking in their 1-0 win in the previous derby, as they did in the 3-2 defeat to Hibs in December, and were able to foul at will on Sunday without consequence.
I'll have folk shouting about conspiracies etc, but I'll just share that in the four derbies this season, Hearts have been afforded 9.4 fouls per booking, while Hibs get just 5.4.
This isn't about blaming a referee - Don Robertson got the two big calls correct by the letter of the law.
Raphael Sallinger's rush of blood to the head was symptomatic of the nervy start Hibs made. Unforced error after unforced error blighted our play yet we found ourselves ahead thanks to Martin Boyle, playing his last derby for Hibs.
Boyle was outstanding and didn't deserve to find himself on the losing team.
Felix Passlack's second yellow was also a clear booking, the frustration here is not that he was booked and subsequently ordered off for it, it's that the referee chose that bookable offence to pull out a card.
Where was that diligence for the rest of the game? Passlack can have no complaints, though.
Ultimately, Passlack and Sallinger gave their team-mates an almost impossible task to hold on to the lead and we very nearly did it. I don't have any doubt that if we had even stayed at 10 men we'd have won.
For Hibs, the season is pretty much a dead rubber now - I doubt we'll catch Motherwell and I think we'll stay clear of Falkirk, so our hopes rest on Celtic winning the Scottish Cup to hand us European football.
Ultimately the season hasn't been good enough. Malky Mackay has to look long and hard at the January recruitment and why it hasn't lifted the team for the run-in, while David Gray must reflect on why teams are finding us so predictable to play against and why results are not going our way now.
Image source, SNSMartin Boyle has bemoaned Hibs' "unacceptable" discipline issues after three red cards cost them in back-to-back defeats.
Grant Hanley was sent off in the first half of the 2-0 loss at Aberdeen in the last game before the split, then Hibs had Raphael Sallinger and Felix Passlack dismissed – while leading 1-0 – in Sunday's 2-1 loss at home to city rivals Hearts.
Boyle, who opened the scoring in his final Edinburgh derby last Sunday, said: "It's not great, the discipline in the last few weeks has been unacceptable and it's cost us.
"The boys have to take responsibility. I thought the boys that remained on the pitch [on Sunday] gave everything they could, but the discipline isn't good enough.
"It's going to have to be [spoken about] because it let us down in two massive games that we needed results."
Hibs now trail fourth-place Motherwell by six points with just four games left in the battle for a guaranteed European spot.
"It's extremely difficult now," Boyle said of Hibs' prospects of reeling in Well.
"Obviously, we had to get a result on Sunday. We're going to have to try and probably win the remaining games. We're going to have to pick ourselves back up and go again next week against Celtic.
"We know how difficult the opponent is, they're reigning champions and they've picked up recently. But we have to have the belief that we can win the game."
