Hibernian are navigating injury problems and squad selection questions in the wake of their 3-1 Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts at Easter Road. The loss leaves David Gray's side seventh in the Scottish Premiership with six points from four matches, having scored six goals and conceded seven so far this season.
Who is currently sidelined for Hibernian?
Jordan Obita was absent from the starting lineup for the trip to face St Johnstone, with Adam Mayor taking his place according to the BBC's team news. The club's official injury list confirms Obita and Rocky Bushiri are currently unavailable. This comes after Blair Spittal of Hearts was confirmed to be out for "more than a few weeks" with an injury, highlighting the physical toll of the early season schedule. Manager David Gray now faces selection puzzles ahead of their next fixture, an away match against Hearts on December 27th.
New loan signing Alex Williams was among the substitutes for the St Johnstone match, but defender Marko Ivezic was not involved despite being signed last week. Fans can track the availability of all players on the club's official injuries page for the latest updates.
How did the dressing room react to the derby defeat?
Midfielder Josh Mulligan believes the strong leaders within the Hibernian squad will help the team recover from the disappointment of Thursday's loss. Speaking to the Hibs Observer, Mulligan expressed confidence in the group's character. The defeat was Hibernian's second consecutive home loss, following their failure to reach the Conference League.
Hearts forward Claudio Braga commented on the emptying Easter Road stands in the final ten minutes, telling the Daily Record it "feels really good as a Hearts player and supporter." Hibernian's current league position sees them nine points behind leaders Celtic, adding urgency to their need for a positive response.
What happened in the Edinburgh derby match?
The Guardian reported that Wouter Vrancken enjoyed a memorable first derby in charge of Hearts as his side won 3-1 at Easter Road. James Wilson and Laurent Mendy put Hearts two goals up before half-time. Hibernian substitute Adam Mayor pulled a goal back early in the second half, but any hope of a comeback ended when Jack Iredale was sent off and Josh McPake scored a brilliant solo third for Hearts.
It was a seventh successive match unbeaten in all competitions for Hearts, who have recovered after losing their first four games under Vrancken. Hibernian, meanwhile, have a mixed record of two wins and two losses from their opening four Premiership fixtures. You can view the full standings to see how the table looks.
What were the key team changes against St Johnstone?
The BBC's live coverage noted Hibernian made two changes for their match at McDiarmid Park. Adam Mayor and Miguel Chaiwa started in place of the injured Jordan Obita and Callum Wright, who moved to the bench. This continued a pattern of adjustments as Gray manages his squad through early season challenges.
St Johnstone were looking to win their first two home games of a Scottish Premiership season for the first time since 2017-18 after their opening day 4-3 win over Kilmarnock. Three points would have seen them leapfrog seventh-placed Hibernian in the table. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on the club's fixtures list.
How did Hibernian fare in their previous away match?
ESPN's match data shows Hibernian secured a 2-1 away victory against Dundee on August 30th. Martin Boyle opened the scoring in the 25th minute, and Callum Wright added a second in the 61st minute before Joe Westley pulled one back for Dundee late on. That result contributed to their current away record this term.
Hibernian's next challenge is another away trip, this time to face fourth-placed Hearts at Tynecastle on December 27th. The team will look to improve on a recent form guide that reads LWWL across their last four league outings.
