Image source, SNSNicky Cadden was magnificent for Hibs out wide. He created three chances - more than any other player in green - and hit the crossbar before his magnificent free-kick found the back of the net.
George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSDavid Gray made four changes to the side that caved at Dens Park on Saturday, most notably replacing goalkeeper Josef Bursik with Jordan Smith, and switching to a back three.
It resulted in a solid first-half performance, as Gray seemingly encouraged his side to go back to basics. Hibs didn't try anything too fancy, but harried Aberdeen at every opportunity, kept their high-flying opponents at arm's length and found a slice of luck they have sorely lacked this season, as Joe Newell's strike flew in via two Aberdeen defenders.
Hibs started the second half in much the same vein, winning plenty of second balls and almost finding a second goal, again through Newell, who this time hit the base of the post.
However, after Jamie McGrath equalised, Hibs paid for a blunder - the seventh time this season they have conceded from an individual error. Smith came for a corner, but only succeeded in palming the ball straight to Nicky Devlin.
That moment was an enormous test of Gray's side's spirit and fight, but they didn't go into their shells.
Nicky Cadden hit the bar before bending home a wonderful equaliser, and even after going behind again, they dug deep and found another goal from the most unlikely source in Rocky Bushiri.
Gray will take real heart from the way they fought right to the end, despite their league position. The celebrations that followed Bushiri's goal showed a togetherness they will need if they are to climb the table.
Image source, SNSHibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Sportsound: "Rollercoaster second half. We feel that energy in the dressing room.
"There have been questions asked about the character of the group and twice we came back right at the very end in a game I firmly believe we deserved to win.
"We know we've let ourselves down in certain areas, but the attitude, desire, commitment and togetherness was there to see.
"We need to be positive. It’s something to build on and if we can tidy up in areas I know we can turn this round."
Image source, SNSHibernian: Smith, Miller, O'Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, Triantis, Newell, N Cadden, Youan, Hoilett, Kuharevich.
Substitutes: Bursik, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Boyle, C Cadden, Kwon, Campbell, Gayle, Molotnikov.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin, Rubezic, Molloy, MacKenzie, Shinnie, Heltne Nilsen, McGrath, Keskinen, Duk, Nisbet.
Substitutes: Doohan, Clarkson, McGarry, Besuijen, Palaversa, Sokler, Morris, Milne, Ambrose.
Matty Fairnie
Fan writer
A massive night for David Gray and his side turned into a massive disaster as Dundee destroyed the hapless Hibees at a foggy Dens Park on Saturday.
Gray, fresh from the dreaded vote of confidence from Hibs’ board, really could have done with a win to get some points back on the teams above us in the league.
Instead, we watch a bright start evaporate quicker than the Dundee fog as Jordan Obita's bad touch and worse challenge saw Hibs reduced to 10 men. And as we've seen previously this season, when that happens, Hibs crumble.
What followed was an absolute embarrassment - an affront to the fans who had braved Storm Bert to cheer on their team.
This Hibs side is unrecognisable from the one Jack Ross took to third place in the season before his sacking. Since then, a succession of poor managerial appointments and even poorer player recruitment from those in charge of the club has seen a decline at a rate none of us would have expected.
Early-season optimism, fuelled by investment from Black Knight Football, is a distant and frankly ludicrous memory.
This is by some distance the worst Hibs side I can remember. It's not a stretch to say you would struggle to find one pass mark from the summer recruitment. We have a goalkeeper who would thrive in the sport of dodgeball. Strikers who look like they're on strike, and midfielders who would win awards for hide and seek.
Gray's sacking is inevitable now, there is nothing from the evidence on show this season to suggest Hibs will miraculously turn this around.
The question for the board now, having backed themselves into a corner with their statement backing the boss, is how long they delay the inevitable backlash that will hit them for again taking the club backwards with ridiculous recruitment across the club.
Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers Podcast, external
'We let ourselves down'
Defender Rocky Bushiri says the Hibs players must shoulder the blame for the club’s dreadful season so far.
The Easter Road club are bottom of the Premiership with one win in 13 prior to tonight’s visit of Aberdeen.
David Gray is under sever pressure but Bushiri said: "It's not about the manager.
"We let ourselves down. At the end of the day it's also about our career.
"The manager comes and goes. You go to a different club so you do it for your career, you do it for the fans because thanks to them you get paid. So it's not about players letting the manager down.
"He has his responsibilities of picking the team and making us better players. But then it's also up to the players to respond to that and give something back to the club and obviously the manager."
Hibernian head coach David Gray admits goalkeeper Josef Bursik is "going through a real difficult moment". (Scotsman - subscription), external
Jimmy Thelin is not allowing himself to be fooled by Hibernian's early season struggles before his Aberdeen side's Tuesday trip to Easter Road. (Press and Journal - subscription), external
Image source, SNSMarvin Bartley says David Gray will know "he's running out of time" as Hibs head coach, after their 4-1 defeat against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
Bartley still believes his former Hibs teammate can turn it around, but says they need a positive result in one of their next two games, against Aberdeen on Tuesday and Motherwell on Saturday.
"On his tenure so far, Dave will know that they've not picked up enough points," Bartley told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"You get out of football what you deserve. Dave will know that he's running out of time.
"He will really, really want to turn it around on a professional level, but also a personal level. It's not been good enough. There's no doubt about it.
"There's a lot that's been said about what's happened in the boardroom level and above them, but in terms of the squad that they have they shouldn't be bottom of the league.
"They can't continue to lose games. They’ve got Aberdeen on Tuesday, Motherwell on Saturday, they need some results straight away."
Hibs have only taken eight points from their thirteen league matches and sit bottom of the table.
The Easter Road side were far from favourites for relegation at the start of the season, but Bartley warned reputation counts for nothing, and the players need to start raising their standards if their fortunes are to change.
"They need to start winning games and start winning them quickly because no team's too good to go down," Bartley added. "It just doesn't work in football.
"We've seen it before, they're in a real relegation battle at this moment in time and until they get themselves further up the league, they can't say they're not.
"It's time they show how much they really care about the manager. Are they really willing to go out there and work for him and keep him in the job?"
Image source, SNSHibs manager David Gray has defended Elie Youan after the French forward was criticised for doing keepy-uppies after teammate Jordan Obita was sent off against Dundee on Saturday.
Gray's side would go on to lose the game 4-1 and former Hibs midfielder Marvin Bartley said Youan's actions were "embarrassing" on Premier Sports.
But Gray jumped to Youan's defence and insisted he did nothing wrong.
"I'd fully understand it if the game was about to go on, or I hadn't had the information on, or if I'd pulled all the players across and he wasn't over and he was doing his own thing." Gray said. "Then I would understand exactly the magnitude of making the point on it.
"But I didn't see it at the time, my information went on very quickly as to what we wanted to do at the red card, especially for the next five minutes, to see what Dundee would do, because of how well we started in the game.
"So the plan was on very quickly, he knew exactly where he was and he went into position very quickly.
"I think a lot's been made of it, but I think if you actually know him, I don’t think there's any malice in what he was doing. But I understand why the question would be asked and why Marvin gave his feelings on it."
Image source, SNSDavid Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Tuesday night.
Here are the main points:
He says he's convinced he is the man to turn things around and stresses the "players are 100% still running for me, still trying to do the best they can do, still caring about what they’re doing, still trying to be the best they can be".
Gray says having the game against Aberdeen so soon after their "frustrating" 4-1 defeat to Dundee is a "benefit".
Thinks the "players are low on confidence" but stresses his side "need to still remain as positive as we can" and says he's "desperate" for a change in fortunes.
The manager insists he's "not delusional" and acknowledges the bleak position of his team in the Premiership table and the questions around his position.
Gray defends Elie Youan, who has been criticised for doing keepies-uppies following Jordan Obita's red card against Dundee. "Everyone who knows Elie knows he’s happiest when he’s on the pitch. I think if you actually know him, I don't think there's any malice in what he was doing."
He is expecting better from his team moving forward and says "there's been a lot of players making individual errors" which he is hoping to correct.
He doesn’t expect an easy game after Aberdeen's defeat by St Mirren and says "there's no time for Aberdeen to stew on their defeat".
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSHibs captain Joe Newell insists things are "not all doom and gloom" at Easter Road despite a poor start to the season.
David Gray's side sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership table having picked up just eight points from a possible 39.
"We have had a very tough start to the season," Newell said after the Edinburgh side's 4-1 defeat to Dundee.
"Then we have a break and we work really hard and the group are very together and I can see it in the training ground.
"The environment, with the pressure and with the results we have had, it would be very easy to be all doom and gloom and it hasn’t, you saw that straight away with the way we started the game [against Dundee].
"Coming to a tough place against a tough side, full of confidence and we started really well."
Image source, SNSAfter losing their last league meeting with Aberdeen 0-4 in May, Hibernian are looking to avoid suffering successive such defeats against the Dons for the first time since November 2020 (run of three).
Aberdeen are looking to win two away league games at Hibernian in a row for the first time since May 2019.
No side has won fewer home games in the Scottish Premiership this season than Hibernian (one), who are winless in their last four league matches on home soil (D2 L2).
Aberdeen have won both of their last two midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games, last winning three in a row in December 2018 (run of four).
Martin Boyle has been directly involved in 10 goals (six goals, four assists) in his last 13 Scottish Premiership appearances against Aberdeen for Hibernian, including nine (five goals, four assists) in his last seven at Easter Road.
Watch highlights as Dundee win 4-1 against Hibs in the Scottish Premiership.
We asked for your views on Hibs' 4-1 defeat against Dundee.
Here's what some of you said:
William: Time to go David Gray, you have shown weak man management, and to be very naive tactically. You don’t have players behind you. The longer we persevere, the further the gap to other teams will widen.
Stewart: Awful, the same old story week in week out. I would like to know what they do on the training ground because whatever it is, it isn't working on match days. Relegation is a real possibility unless the board acts now and sacks Gray.
Alex: Same old story, only this time we lost it in 12th minute. I'm sorry to say Gray isn't the man for the job. He's had 13 games to sort it out but nothing has improved, results aren't changing, errors aren't stopping and there hasn’t been any signs of it getting better.
Ali: Team selection, substitutions, decision making, discipline, everything is wrong at the club. From top to bottom the club is in disarray. Ian Gordon, Ben Kensell and Malky Mackay all need to go. Give Gray an academy coaching role, he’s 100% lost and in serious danger of losing everything. Too many players are not even championship standard.
Alan: When you buy cheap it doesn't last long. His team selection is open to debate. How he plays Elie Youan is mind boggling, what he did during the sending off with the match ball was embarrassing, should never have a Hibs jersey on his back again. The goalkeeper is just not up to the standard we expect. Boy are we in for a long dark season.
Andy: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results, that's Hibs. Inexperienced mangers, awful recruitment and error strewn performances every week. Hibs really are in trouble and there is no way out without a major overhaul. The players, management and board are simply awful.
Johnny: Time to walk Gray, don't know what they practice in training but it's certainly not football. This is serious now, there is no light at the end of the tunnel, another cheap option for manager that's backfired, sad days indeed.
Stuart: Gray is way past his sell by date. Hibs are an atrocious team at the moment. No direction on the field and simply no direction from their management team. Time for another change on the wheel of misfortune at Easter Road.
Image source, SNSCurtis Main has scored his second goal in the Premiership this season, netting for the first time since 31st August 2024 against St Mirren.
Hibernian have conceded 10 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.
Dundee have scored four goals in a game for the first time since 27th January 2024 against Livingston (W4-1).
Hibernian have failed to win in their last eight games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 16th December 2023 to 17th February 2024.
Hibernian are now eight games without a win.
Hibees, we want to hear your thoughts on this evening's 4-1 away defeat to Dundee.
Let us know your views on the game here, external.
Image source, SNSHibernian head coach David Gray tells Premier Sports: "I understand why the fans are as frustrated as they are, it's the same for myself. An enormous credit to the fans.
"I'm standing here angry that we have lost the game. We started the game well before the red card. A moment of madness cost us the game. From that moment on, you are up against it.
"It is a lot of individual errors. 10 players on the pitch need to be better in the moment. It is not good enough. We are losing too many goals from avoidable situations from our point of view.
"I'm not shying away from it. It is 100 percent my responsibility."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Circumstances often conspire against teams at the bottom of the table and head coach David Gray must feel like he cannot buy a break.
Amid their woeful start to the season they began this game in blistering fashion – perhaps allowing the large travelling to start believing a corner could about to be turned.
But any such hopes ended after Jordan Obita’s early red card and Gray will have been alarmed by the way his team folded like a deckchair after that setback.
If ever there was a time for leadership and character to come to the fore it was in that moment – both qualities were posted missing.
Gray got a vote of confidence from the Hibernian powerbrokers during the international break, however he has been in the game long enough to know that will count for nothing if he cannot stop the rot.
Image source, SNSCeltic loanee Kwon Hyeok-kyu drops out of the Hibs starting XI
Following a deflating defeat to St Mirren before the November break, Hibernian make four changes in a bid to pick up their first win since 14 September.
Elie Youan keeps his place in the starting XI, while his forward partners Martin Boyle and Junior Hoilett drop to the bench.
The attacking duo's spots are filled by Mykola Kuharevich - who returns from suspension - and Nicky Cadden.
Elsewhere, Rocky Bushiri replaces Marvin Ekpiteta and Josh Campbell is in for Kwon Kyeok-kyu.
Kieron Bowie remains out, while Lewis Miller makes the bench after a spell on the sidelines.
Dundee: Carson, Portales, Koumetio, C Robertson, McGhee, Sylla, Mulligan, Cameron, F Robertson, Palmer-Houlden, Murray.
Substitutes: McCracken, Sharp, Ingram, Astley, Tiffoney, Main, Adewumi, Braybrooke.
Hibernian: Bursik, C Cadden, Bushiri, O’Hora, Obita, Triantis, Campbell, Newell, N Cadden, Kuharevich, Youan.
Substitutes: Smith, Miller, Levitt, Boyle, Iredale, Kwon, Hoilett, Gayle, Molotnikov.
