Hibernian

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Dundee United remain without defender Iurie Iovu (muscle) along with Dario Naamo, Pan Camara (hamstring), Isaac Pappoe (knee) and Yevhen Kucherenko (calf).

Hibs wing-back Nicky Cadden is pushing for a return while Martin Boyle has recovered from the illness that limited his involvement against Rangers.

Jordan Obita, Miguel Chaiwa and Rocky Bushiri are on Africa Cup of Nations duty while Rudi Molotnikov (ankle) is injured.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hibernian head coach David Gray has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership trip to Dundee United on Saturday.

Here are the best bits from his news conference.

• Reflecting on defeat by Rangers last time out, Gray says they lacked end product and that was a frustration. "We're coming away from the game thinking we could have done more."

• Expects a really "difficult test" against United after their 2-1 victory against Celtic on Wednesday. Equally expects a reaction from his players and wants to see the attacking threat they lacked against Rangers.

• On Josh Mulligan, Gray says the midfielder still has a lot of growing to do, but praised his performance levels since signing from Dundee in the summer. "He's learning all the time, but he's rightly feeling good about his performances."

• Mulligan has been linked with Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, but Gray says speculation is only natural when players are playing well.

• With the World Cup looming in the summer, Gray thinks it is a big "carrot" for all of his players, not just Scottish players like Mulligan, Kieron Bowie and Grant Hanley.

• The Hibs boss is only thinking about the Dundee United match, but is well aware of how a strong run of form can propel a team up such a tightly-contested division.

• Team news: Rocky Bushiri, Jordan Obita and Miguel Chaiwa are away at Afcon, while Rudi Molotnikov is out injured. Both Nicky Cadden and Thibault Klidje have had a full week of training in the lead-up to the game.

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• Both sides have scored in each of the past seven Scottish Premiership meetings between Dundee United (13 goals) and Hibs (15), with those matches featuring a combined 28 goals (4.0 per game) and sharing an even head-to-head-record (two wins each, three draws).

• Hibs have won four of their past seven top-flight visits to Tannadice (L3), more than their previous 18 beforehand (W3 D8 L7).

• After beating Celtic 2-1 last time out, Dundee United are looking to win back-to-back league matches for the first time this season, having last done so in April. The Tangerines could also win two home league fixtures on the bounce for the first time since November 2024.

• Following a 2-0 defeat at Motherwell and 1-0 loss at Rangers, Hibs could suffer three successive away league losses for the first time since January 2023 (run of 6), while they last lost three in a row on their travels in the Premiership without scoring in May 2014 (4 in a row).

• Dundee United have recovered a league-high 10 points from losing positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, coming from behind to beat Celtic 2-1 in midweek. On six of the past eight occasions United have avoided defeat in a league game, they have done so despite conceding the first goal.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Defeat at Ibrox on Monday night felt like another missed opportunity for Hibernian - and that's becoming a worrying theme.

Coming on the back of a much-needed win over Falkirk, this was a chance to build momentum. Instead, Hibs left with nothing and familiar frustrations after a third loss in four.

Once again against Rangers, the opportunity was there to take points, and once again it slipped away. What will hurt most is not just the result, but the manner of the goal conceded.

Defensively, it was simply unacceptable. Failing to prevent the cross is one thing; allowing a free header in the box with eight players present is quite another.

David Gray will rightly highlight these issues, and with three crucial fixtures remaining before the end of the year, the message has to land. There is little room left for repetition of the same mistakes.

A trip to Tannadice on Saturday offers a chance at redemption. Dundee United are struggling, confidence is fragile, and their recent record of one win in 11 reflects that.

For Hibs, the path back to winning ways is clear but not easy. The strikers must start delivering, and while Rocky Bushiri's absence to the Africa Cup of Nations is not ideal, there is enough experience in the squad to cope defensively.

Victory this weekend would not only steady the ship but also provide momentum before the second Edinburgh derby of the season.

Hibernian hope to have wide man Nicky Cadden back in the starting line-up for their festive fixtures. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

It was another disappointing result in Glasgow for Hibs on Monday night.

Despite a first half where Hibs more than matched their hosts, the second half was for the most part completely unacceptable.

Hibs registered a meagre three efforts on target – a header cleared off the line and two shots that Jack Butland might have been worried about being penalised for handling under the passback laws.

Hibs' lack of creativity is a huge problem. Kieron Bowie was praised last week for finding himself in scoring positions, but he was everywhere other than in front of goal at Ibrox.

Josh Mulligan, lauded for his performance against Falkirk, struggled to make any impression on the game and Grant Hanley will lose sleep over his part in Rangers' winning goal.

David Gray has come under criticism for only playing one way and that accusation is not entirely without foundation.

His side is most effective with three or five at the back, depending on how he plays the wing-backs, but the squad is limited when moving to other systems so unless he gets backed in the January window, there's not a lot he can change.

Before that, he has three massive games - Dundee United, Hearts and Aberdeen - and with Hibs heading down rather than up the table, pressure will surely mount on the boss.

Hopefully the club's owners can recall the turnaround Gray performed last season and don't rush to make a change at the first sign of trouble since then.

Gray, more than anyone, deserves the time to get out of this rut.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

We asked for your views after Hibs lost 1-0 to Rangers for a third defeat in four games.

Here are some your comments:

Lee: I'm sorry - this isn't good enough. Hibs are now in a cancel-each-other-out pack of teams sailing very close to bottom six. Caught by Aberdeen, three points ahead of Falkirk and 14 points off Hearts. With a squad that's supposedly better than last years - the return is not acceptable. Would an experienced manager do better with this squad? Maybe time to start considering this option.

Ringo: Time for Gray to go, he can't take the team any further. We have a lot of good players in the team but they aren't playing for Gray. Hibs fans can surely see there's not one bit of fight in the team. They just accept getting beat, that comes from the manager, time for change. Fourteen points behind Hearts is embarrassing.

John: There's something in the water at Easter Road as there's just no other excuse for the club not kicking on. Years of frugality and selling our best players and yet today, with all the investment in players and infrastructure we are still sitting mid-table. Worst league in decades and we still can't progress. No excuses!

Mark: Too predictable. Gray doesn't have enough tricks up his sleeve to outwit the Old Firm. We have some decent players, but we need better options up front and better wing-backs as well. It's time for Gray to put his foot down over the type of signings we make, as the summer ones proved again which type work for us and which don't, and I think the ones that don't are being forced on him.

Alan: The worst Rangers side in my lifetime and yet we can't beat them and we've beaten far better Rangers sides in the past. Hibs are going nowhere under Gray and his coaching staff and he seems tactically niave.

Colin: Underperforming and inconsistent. Our league position doesn't lie. Our results against the fur teams above us isn't good. Definite improvement over next three games a must.

Watch highlights from Ibrox as Rangers edge out Hibernian 1-0 to move third in the Scottish Premiership. (Available to UK users only)

Rangers moved up to third in the Scottish Premiership with a nervy and narrow victory over Hibernian at Ibrox.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "Real frustration because how we started, we asked players the to be brave and start on front foot.

"I thought we played well up until the final third and that was a theme of night - and that's my biggest frustration because I know what's in there and how dangerous we can be. We got into good positions and our quality let us down.

"Very rarely does creating chances elude this side and that's the real frustration. We've not been outplayed or passed off the pitch or dominated.

"In terms of quietening the crowd and being on the front foot, up until we lost the goal, we were very comfortable and the better side. The goal we concede is very poor and we had a wee wobble after that.

"Rangers were more aggressive in the second half and we didn't have the answers. We gave up more chances towards the end by opening up rather than forcing Jack Butland into making saves.

"The biggest thing I asked the players to do was to believe they could come here and go toe to toe with one of the best sides in the league and we done that.

"There's a lot to work on and work with but we have to quickly move on and work on the areas where we let ourselves down tonight.

"We can be miles better than that and we've showed that before."

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Hibernian striker Kieron Bowie hopes to emulate Man City striker Erling Haaland.

The 23-year-old has become an out-and-out striker for David Gray's side this season having missed the majority of last year through injury and says he's "constantly learning."

Bowie scored two goals in Hibs' 3-0 victory over Falkirk last weekend having not managed to find the back of the net in his previous two games.

"I speak to a lot of people, obviously they speak about Haaland," he said.

"Obviously he's doing it at the highest level, but just how many goals he scores just in the width of the six-yard box.

"Every week he just scores a goal, maybe it's just a tap-in, but it's a goal at the end of the day.

"He scores an unbelievable amount of goals, and he's always in that area, in the six- yard box.

"I think he's probably a bit bigger than me so I wish I was as big as him."

Bowie made just 13 Premiership appearances last term having suffered a serious hamstring injury that sidelined him for the majority of the campaign.

Coming back this term, and playing as one of Hibs' go-to strikers, has been a bit of a learning curve for the Scotland international.

"I was injured for the majority of the season and then I come back and I'm starting to play up front," he added.

"I'm just trying to get to grips with a lot of things. Obviously it's different when you come back from an injury but definitely it's a lot of learning as I play games, even now.

"I'm constantly just learning and making sure I'm switched on."

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Rangers' Mohamed Diomande returns from suspension but Bojan Miovski picked up an injury against Ferencvaros and will be assessed while Joe Rothwell and Lyall Cameron did not feature in Hungary.

Rangers remain without John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nedim Bajrami and Oliver Antman with muscle injuries. Rabbi Matondo (knee) and Kieran Dowell (foot) are closing in on comebacks.

Hibs are awaiting confirmation on whether Rocky Bushiri, Jordan Obita and Miguel Chaiwa - who are all due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday - will be available.

Nicky Cadden (calf) remains a doubt while Rudi Molotnikov (ankle) is definitely out.

Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, will not be affected by transfer speculation, believes head coach David Gray. (Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hibs head coach David Gray is still waiting to hear if three of his key players will be available for Monday night's match against Rangers at Ibrox.

Rocky Bushiri, Jordan Obita and Miguel Chaiwa have been called up by their respective countries - DR Congo, Uganda and Zambia - for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins next Sunday.

Fifa's mandatory date for clubs to release players for the tournament is Monday, but Hibs are in talks with the relevant governing bodies for an extension that would allow the trio to play at Ibrox before departing.

"We've still not got complete confirmation," Gray said.

"So I don't want to say that and then it not be the case. There's still communication and conversations going on with the nations.

"I still expect us to have a couple available but that might change as well, so I've not got any concrete confirmation as yet. I expect that should be resolved in the next day or so.

"There are a lot of conversations going on, because we want to try to keep the players as long as we can, and the countries want to try to get them as early as they can because they've got a major tournament to prepare for.

"I would be exactly the same if I were a national team manager, I would want to try to get the players as early as you can. I fully understand that as well, so it's about trying to work out the best solution for everybody.

"The players need to consider their position as well, and how they feel and getting in the right frame of mind for playing and when they meet up, and flights and everything that comes with that. So there are a few challenges that we've still got to get to between now and the weekend.

"There's constant communication between everybody – us as a club, the player and then the national team, to make sure that it's resolved as early as it possibly can be."

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Hibernian's Scottish Cup fourth-round tie against Dunfermline is to be shown live on BBC One Scotland and iPlayer.

The game will be played on Saturday, 17 January (12:30 GMT) at East End Park.

It marks a reunion between Hibs and their former manager Neil Lennon, who is now in charge of the second-tier Pars.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hibs head coach David Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Monday night's trip to face Rangers.

Here are the key lines:

• Gray is still waiting to find out if Jordan Obita, Rocky Bushiri and Miguel Chaiwa will be available to play at Ibrox before they depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.

• The Hibs boss adds: "I still expect us to have a couple available, but that might change as well, so I've not got any concrete confirmation as yet. But I expect that should be resolved in the next day or so."

• Gray says his side are "adjusting" to a Monday night kick-off but admits he "used to prefer evening games" as a player and is expecting a "brilliant atmosphere".

• The 37-year-old "doesn't think there been much in the games" between Rangers and Hibs recently and says his side are "in a really good frame of mind" heading to Ibrox.

• But Gray stresses Rangers have "certainly improved domestically" since Danny Rohl took charge and is expecting "a really tough game".

• The boss says it's "good to see" striker Kieron Bowie "back on the goal trail" and is "sure he'll want to maintain that for as long as he can".

• He adds: "It is his first season as an out-and-out number nine; he's going to be inconsistent at times, he's still young, he's 23, he's not played a lot of football and there's a lot of development to come."

• Gray says defender Zach Mitchell has been waiting patiently for his opportunity and it could come when players go to AFCON.

• Team news: Nicky Cadden remains a doubt after missing last week's win over Falkirk but he did train on Friday. There are no fresh injuries.

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• Rangers have lost just one of their past 27 Scottish Premiership matches against Hibernian (W18 D8).

• In all competitions, Hibs have lost 12 of their past 13 away games against Rangers, winning the other 2-0 in April last season.

• Rangers have won five of their seven league games under Danny Rohl (D2), as many as their final 18 prior to his arrival (W5 D10 L3). They have also kept four clean sheets in their past six league matches, as many as their previous 28 beforehand.

• This will be Hibs' first Premiership game on a Monday since they lost 3-0 to Hearts in January 2023. Hibs have lost three of their past four games in the competition on this day of the week (D1) since a 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle in October 2013.

• Mikey Moore has scored in his past two league games for Rangers. A goal in this match would make him the first player aged 18 or younger to score in three successive Scottish top-flight appearances since Anthony Stokes netted in four in a row for Falkirk from October-November 2006.

Defender Rocky Bushiri, 26, says his return to Hibs this season after coming out of contract at the end of last term was motivated by his desire to represent DR Congo at Afcon. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Hibs midfielder Miguel Chaiwa has been named in Zambia's squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The 21-year-old joined David Gray's side from Swiss outfit Young Boys in the summer and has made 15 appearances across all competitions.

Zambia are holding a training camp in Spain from 11-17 December before heading to Morocco for the tournament where they will play in Group A alongside Morocco, Mali and Comoros.

Chaiwa joins Hibs team-mates Rocky Bushiri and Jordan Obita at AFCON after the defenders were called up by DR Congo and Uganda respectively.

Hibs are reportedly in talks with the relevant governing bodies in a bid to have the trio available for Monday night's game with Rangers before they depart on AFCON duty.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

When striker Kieron Bowie fired home Hibs' third goal against Falkirk on Saturday, there was an almost audible sigh of relief around Easter Road.

It ensured the three points would be staying in Leith, allowing the team to get back to winning ways after a couple of setbacks.

For Bowie, it also showed the 23-year-old was back on song, and in a year when every week is an audition for a World Cup place, every goal could be vital.

But Bowie is not the only Scot with one eye on next summer. Midfielder Josh Mulligan has arguably been Hibs' most consistent player this season and appears to be improving week on week.

Those in charge of recruitment at the club must be over the moon that the former Dundee player chose Hibs over many other suitors - including Rangers - in the summer.

Having already made 24 appearances this season and scored three times, it is little wonder there is reported interest from south of the border.

But Hibs will be determined to hang on to the talented 23-year-old.

With four very difficult fixtures before the end of the year, Mulligan will have a key role to play before the bells toll in 2026.

First up is Ibrox, against a Rangers side still finding their feet under new manager Danny Rohl.

With two losses already this season against Rangers, the Hibs players will be eager to turn the tables on their opponents.

And they don't have to look too far back to find their last win. In April, a goal in each half from Dylan Levitt and Martin Boyle was enough to secure victory and help propel Hibs to a third-place finish.

A repeat performance would be a huge boost for everyone and send a message that Hibs are more than capable of competing with the top clubs.