Hibernian

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Another week, another late goal conceded and lead squandered.

It's a frustrating habit and will surely catch up with Hibs soon. Despite the dropped points, we finished the weekend in third place.

Hibs' recent lacklustre performances have drawn a lot of justified criticism from supporters.

The football hasn't been as easy on the eye as last season and outside of some stirring European performances, David Gray's team have flattered to deceive on too many occasions – a frustration voiced by the head coach on more than one occasion recently.

Livingston were well worth their point last Saturday. Hibs didn't turn up until the second half and while Gray got a reaction in the second half it was too little, too late.

He has the players at his disposal and there's a real sense we should be doing better than we are, despite sitting third.

A formidable challenge awaits this weekend with a trip to face St Mirren. The League Cup finalists were the only team we failed to beat last season and the first meeting this term was a 1-1 draw at Easter Road.

We need the players to step up and show what they are about before we get pulled into a mid-table battle.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

Watch Sportscene pundit Neil McCann discuss "old school kick-offs" as Hibs stun Livingston with an early strike from Jamie McGrath.

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Watch the highlights of Livingston 2-2 Hibernian by clicking here.

We asked for your views on Hibs' 2-2 draw against Livingston.

Here's what some of you said:

John: The nervous nineties do it again as we allow teams to dominate in the dying minutes. David Gray must sort this very quickly as there seems to be a lack of determination to win at all costs unlike our rivals at the other side of the city.

Tom: How many times are we going to throw away points with late goals conceded? We must train for 80 minute games looking at the results.

Willie: Not good enough again, outplayed for most parts by the worst team in the league, fine margins again but they never seem to go our way.

Rab: Same old Hibs, teams we should beat, we don't. If we turn up we are great, some players are not giving 100 per cent for 90 minutes. Hibs need to do better.

Martin: No bravery, no urgency. We're so slow to attack and still playing hoof-ball at times. Miguel Chaiwa was the only player to want to try things and keep the ball on the ground. To sit in against Livi is worrying.

Pat: You can't ignore the decision making that yet again sees us drop more points from a winning position. On the positive side, we are third and it's not the time to turn on the team. It's obvious to everyone that we can't see out a game and that responsibility sits entirely with the management team.

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"It needs to be explained where they've drawn the lines and why they drew the lines that way," says Hibernian head coach David Gray as he questions the VAR decision to rule out a Kieron Bowie effort for offside in his side's 2-2 draw at Livingston. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Hibernian conceded a late penalty to draw 2-2 at Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.

Read the match report here.

Have your say on Hibs' performance here.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "We were way below where we needed to be. We know we need to be miles better.

"We came up short in a game we were twice ahead in and had chances to win. If I'm honest, we didn't do enough to win the game. That's a reflection on me and my team. I set the team up; it's my responsibility."

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Hibernian midfielder Miguel Chaiwa says head coach David Gray has been "really supportive" as he continues to adapt to Scottish football.

The 21-year-old has moved from Swiss side Young Boys for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal, with Hibs holding the option for a further 12 months.

Chaiwa played in big games for Young Boys last season, including against Galatasaray, Celtic and Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.

Hibs are fourth in the Scottish Premiership, following a stop-start opening to their league campaign and narrowly missing out on qualification for European league phase football.

Chaiwa is full of praise for Gray, saying: "For me, I might say, he's really, first and foremost, he's really supportive. And he always encourages me.

"And what I can say is that he's somebody who really appreciates when the player is doing well. And what he's expecting from me, I might say, it's not a lot.

"Yeah, when I joined the club, he specifically told me, 'we're looking for a player who is like you, dynamic, who is able to go box to box. So, this is the kind of style that we want.'

"So, it's up to me whether I can do it or not."

Chaiwa's father, Changa, is a huge influence on his career too, having been a professional footballer himself for Zambia Super League club Power Dynamo.

"He's a man who's always on me each and every time when he watches the game," the Zambia international said.

"The first thing when I reach home, he's always on the call with me, telling me the mistakes or you need to do this or you need to do that.

"So, I might say he's more like a leader, my mentor.

"I never got to see him play, no, but his former team-mates used to tell me stories about him. I would just joke around with him.

"I tell him that a long time ago, football is more like you're just playing for fun. He would say, 'no, you need to be serious. You have to do it with passion, with commitment. Everything, the little details matter'."

And Chaiwa added: "There was one time they were telling me he got injured. He had a broken bone.

"Apparently they had to travel away. Two days later on, he went to the physio. He told him, 'no, you need to have an operation'.

"He said. 'no'. So what he decided to do, he took like two planks and tied them to his leg and started running.

"Then when the plane took off, he shouted, 'Doc! Doc!' When the doctor asked him what was wrong, he just pointed to his leg like, 'I can't play, I can't play'. Because the leg was so sore and so big. He was a very serious man!"

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Hibernian are closely watching midfielder Dante Polvara, who is out of contract with Aberdeen next summer and has yet to agree an extension. (Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Livingston are still without Shane Blaney, Adam Montgomery (calf), Connor McLennan (concussion), Cammy Kerr (ankle), Ryan McGowan (calf) and Aidan Denholm (hamstring).

Hibernian head coach David Gray has a few players nursing "bumps and bruises" after Wednesday's defeat by Rangers but is hopeful they will all be available.

Warren O'Hora (shoulder) is doubtful while Dylan Levitt (appendix), Rudi Molotnikov (ankle), Joe Newell (groin) and Alasana Manneh (hamstring) are still missing.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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David Gray has warned Hibs not to underestimate struggling Livingston as his side look to reclaim third place on Saturday.

Hibs were leapfrogged by Rangers after losing to the Ibrox side in midweek and now face bottom club Livingston, who they have beaten 2-0 away and 4-0 at home this season.

"Those two results are irrelevant. I think this league shows you that anyway, look how tight it is," said head coach Gray.

"Going to Livingston, what challenges that has, the astroturf is something else that we don't play on every single week, so you need to contend with that. It's certainly not an excuse. The players are ready for it.

"They have been there already this season, so it's not completely new. That's a big thing. Davie [Martindale] will have the team ready to go. They always are. It'll be a tough fixture.

"They'll be looking for a reaction from the last time they played them, we're well aware of that.

"We know the challenges it presents but we see it as an opportunity to end the week with three points.

"If we can do that, we move back into third and that's our only focus going into the game."

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David Martindale is hoping Livingston can capitalise on Hibernian's request to play his side within three days of hosting Rangers.

Saturday's rescheduled Scottish Premiership meeting in West Lothian was initially due to take place on Wednesday, 3 December.

But, with Hibs and Livi facing the prospect of a free weekend due to the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals, the Edinburgh club asked if it could be brought forward in order to ease their busy winter schedule.

Martindale, whose side had no game in midweek while Hibs were losing 1-0 at home to Rangers, was only too willing to oblige.

"Hibs came to us and offered us the schedule, so if you look at the fact Hibs were playing Rangers on Wednesday night, it's a bit of a no-brainer if a team comes to us to play within 48 hours of another game when we've had the benefit of having a Saturday to Saturday," the manager said.

Livingston sit bottom of the table without a win in nine outings and must make the most of any small advantage.

"They've got a big squad," Martindale said of Saturday's fourth-top visitors. "They obviously think they're more than capable of picking points up, albeit they've had a big game on Wednesday night, so the thinking behind it for us was it was a good time to try and play them.

"Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday is not a fixture schedule I like. It's not a game I would have been asking to play if we had a game on the Wednesday night and the opponent never had a game on the Saturday, so we need to try and use that to our advantage."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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David Gray has been speaking to the media before Hibs visit Livingston in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Easter Road boss:

• Gray wants a "reaction" from his squad to reclaim third place after the 1-0 midweek home loss to Rangers.

• That defeat was an "opportunity missed" and Gray adds: "We should have got something out of the game. We certainly weren't played off the pitch so you can take the confidence for that as well, but the players are genuinely thinking we should have been better individually and collectively and if we had done that, we would have given ourselves a better chance."

• Complacency will not be an issue against Livingston, with Gray labelling Hibs' two wins against David Martindale's men this season "irrelevant".

• The recruitment department are already "working hard" with the January transfer window in mind.

• On whether Hibs could go back in for players they missed out on in the summer: "I think there's always a list of targets. There's always situations that you're looking at."

• Team news: A few "bumps and bruises" after Wednesday night's game but the squad will be along similar lines.

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• Hibs forward Junor Hoilett has scored half of his eight Premiership goals against Livingston (4) and has been directly involved in six goals in just three league appearances against Livi (2 goals, 2 assists for Aberdeen, 2 goals for Hibs). The only player to be involved in more against the same opponent since the Canadian debuted in the competition in February 2024 is Kyogo Furuhashi vs St Johnstone (7).

• Livingston have won just one and lost five of their past seven league meetings with Hibs (D1), with that sole triumph coming in August 2023 (3-2).

• Hibs have lost just one of their past 10 Scottish Premiership games against newly-promoted sides (W6 D3), a 3-2 defeat at Dundee United in October 2024. They have already beaten Livingston this season, winning 4-0 last month.

• Livingston won their opening home game this season, 3-1 vs Falkirk, but have lost all three since 2-1. Livi last lost more consecutive home matches in the same Scottish Premiership season between December 2005 and March 2006 (run of five).

• Hibs have lost two of their past four Scottish Premiership matches (W2), as many as across their previous 28 league outings (W14 D12) – Hibs last lost back-to-back league games in November 2024.

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Rocky Bushiri insists "confidence is fine" at Hibernian after Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Rangers.

Jamie McGrath had a late penalty saved in what was a first home defeat in the Premiership for almost a year.

Hibs had been buoyed by back-to-back wins over Livingston and Aberdeen but slipped back to fourth place in a congested table.

"We wanted three wins on the spin and to continue the form, but it wasn't meant to be," said Bushiri. "We go again.

"The confidence is fine. We have good players and lots of options.

"There is nothing to worry about because the chances are there. But the reality of football is you need to score and avoid conceding.

"We have to go again because Saturday [away to Livingston] is an opportunity to get back to winning.

"We have built a mentality of going again and again and again. It's important to keep going."

Bushiri was reinstated to the starting XI after an injury to Warren O'Hora and took the captain's armband, with Martin Boyle among the substitutes.

"It's an honour and a pleasure," he said. "I've been here four years and I'm one who has played among the most games for the club. It doesn't change me as a person though."

Sportscene pundit Jackie McNamara analyses Jamie McGrath's late penalty miss that proved costly for Hibs in the 1-0 defeat to Rangers.

We asked for your views after Hibs' 11-month unbeaten home run in the league ended with a 1-0 defeat to Rangers.

Here's what some of you said:

Kenny: Poor performance and the penalty miss summed up the night. This was a poor Rangers team and yet we're not positive enough. Too much passing back and getting nowhere fast. This was a chance to get a win but we were far too negative.

Sandy: Expected another gear from the Hibs attack, all five forwards given a run at it. Very even overall performances from both sides, the missed penalty cost us a draw. Need more aggression in the next few games from Hibs, starting with Livingston.

Peter: Losing three points at home to a decidedly poor Rangers team is unacceptable really. David Gray seems unable to get the best out of his very decent squad.

Conor: It's just simply not good enough. No intensity or aggression from the team. Once again we just sat back, allowing them to get one good chance throughout the whole game to get a goal. We cannot keep going through these hot and cold stages. There have been questions about Kieron Bowie's performance lately. Is it a lack of confidence, or is he not getting the service provided to create chances?

Dougie: Thought it was a very passive performance and we let them dictate most of the game. Rangers never offered much as did we, we need to capitalise on games like this. A poor effort from the spot didn't help either.

Keith: Rangers grab an early goal probably against the run of play and we just couldn't break them down. We have a good midfield but we need to be so much more aggressive. Nicolas Raskin and Connor Barron were snapping into tackles all night. I'd like to see Jordan Obita get a chance instead of Jack Iredale, and unfortunately Bowie looks tired and seems to have lost his way a bit. I feel we're starting to fall behind now.

Watch the highlights as Danilo's goal gives Rangers victory over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership (UK only).

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland, who saved a late Jamie McGrath penalty at Easter Road, says he had done his "homework" on the Hibs midfielder. (Sky Sports via Glasgow Times, external)

Hibernian were "masters of our downfall" against Rangers, says head coach David Gray. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Danilo's early goal and a late penalty save from Jack Butland gave Rangers victory over Hibernian as Danny Rohl's side emerged from an intense and absorbing contest with back-to-back Scottish Premiership wins.

Share your views on Hibs' performance.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "It's tough to take. I don't think it's as if we've been beaten by the better side.

"We gifted them a goal and they didn't really create many chances after that. Did we do enough? Probably not. That was down to a lack of quality from us.

"We certainly got into good areas and had the best two chances [in the second half], including missing a penalty, which was a massive moment.

"If we did get that goal we could have gone and won the game. There was not a lot in it."

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• Hibs are unbeaten in three league meetings with Rangers (W1 D2) - picking up as many points in those three games (5) as they had in their previous 22 against the Ibrox side in the Scottish Premiership prior (D5 L17).

• Rangers are unbeaten in 26 top-flight away games against Hibs (W16 D10) since a 2-1 defeat in September 2006. At only three sides have they ever enjoyed a longer away unbeaten streak in the top flight: Kilmarnock (30 from Dec 1994 to May 2011), Motherwell (31 from Oct 2003 to present), and Morton (41 from Feb 1920 to Nov 1987).

• Hibs remain unbeaten in 16 home league games (W10 D6) since going down 2-1 to St Mirren in November last season.

• Rangers have both scored (35 goals) and conceded (27) in their past 16 away league games (W6 D9 L1) – their longest such run since doing so 22 times in a row from January 1895 to September 1897.

• Nicolas Raskin has scored (two) or assisted (four) six of Rangers' last nine away league goals, while he both scored and assisted against Hibs at Easter Road in May.

Colin Moffat
BBC Sport Scotland

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There's a lot on the line at Easter Road as Hibernian aim to go a full 12 months without a home defeat in the league, while every game is big right now for Rangers as they bid to claw back ground after a dismal start to the season.

Hibs have won two in a row after being hamstrung by careless draws and David Gray's side are unbeaten in their past three Premiership meetings with Rangers.

However, the Hibees faithful have not celebrated a top-flight success at home against Rangers since September 2006 and they did surrender rather meekly at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup last month.

In Sunday's 2-1 victory at Aberdeen, Hibs should have been out of sight before conceding in the dying embers.

The defence appears more solid now Grant Hanley has had a run of four successive starts and record signing Thibault Klidje is looking to score for the third game running but there is still a nagging feeling Gray should be getting more from an array of exciting attacking talent.

There were positive signs for new boss Rohl as Rangers finally delivered a first home league win of the campaign against Kilmarnock.

Rangers played with greater tempo and tenacity and there were potentially significant goals for Danilo and Youssef Chermiti, two players in grave need of a confidence boost.

Rohl would love to end a club record run of 24 competitive away games without a clean sheet but seems likely to place more emphasis on the other end of the pitch.

These two served up a 3-3 and a 2-2 in Edinburgh last term and another end-to-end thriller would not come as any surprise.

Read all the midweek Premiership picks