Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic, Lundstram, Diomande, Cantwell, Wright, Silva, Dessers.
Substitutes: McCrorie, Lawrence, Matondo, Sima, Sterling, Balogun, King, Raskin, McCausland.
Hibernian: Marshall, Cadden, Fish, Bushiri, Obita, Triantis, Newell, Marcondoes, Youan, Le Fondre, Maolida.
Substitutes: Wollacott, Hanlon, Levitt, Boyle, Mayenda, Stevenson, Tavares, Moriah-Welsh, Whittaker.
Image source, SNSChris Cadden is delighted to be back in a Hibs jersey after "forgetting" how much he missed football during his injury lay-off.
The 27-year-old was out for nearly year but is now contributing for Nick Montgomery's side as they look to cement a place in the top six.
“It has been really good since I have come back,” Cadden told Hibs TV.
"I've been trying to enjoy it as much as I can, to be honest. You forget how much you miss football when you are out, you miss that Saturday buzz and all the games so it has been brilliant to get back in the swing of things.
“It has been good, I have been trying to do the best I can. There is always going to be that transitional period when you are out for nine months, but I think I have done alright and given a good account of myself.
“The body is feeling good and ready to go. I have had three good games before the international break.
“Physically I can’t complain, the medical staff and physio staff have been great with me and it is a real credit to them that I have been able to play three games back to back in such a short space of time.”
Rangers' Kieran Dowell, Ross McCausland, Abdallah Sima and Dujon Sterling have been back in training following recent injuries of varying severity but Oscar Cortes, Danilo, Ryan Jack and Ridvan Yilmaz miss out against Hibs.
Josh Campbell and Lewis Miller have been back in Hibernian training and the latter is in contention to feature at Ibrox.
Nick Montgomery has called on Hibs to show their "bravery" in their game at Ibrox against Rangers, as they aim to secure a spot in the top six of the Scottish Premiership.
Dundee are just two points behind Hibs with a game in hand, and Montgomery says every point is crucial in their final three matches before the split.
"We have got these nine points to play for before the split and we have to try and get as many as we can," he told Hibs TV.
"The focus is purely on Rangers on Saturday, we know the task in hand, it is a difficult task but we go there off the back of some good form, good momentum.
"There is stuff riding for both teams, at this time in the season there is pressure for both teams. We are under no illusions about the task ahead of us, we are confident that we can go and give a good account of ourselves.
"We have already shown that no matter where we go we have got the bravery to play. We know that we have got players that can handle big moments, big situations and big atmosphere and there is no bigger than going to Ibrox when they are needing the win after a couple of weeks with no game.
"We obviously need points to make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity to get in the top six. It has got all the ingredients for a good game."
Image source, SNSNick Montgomery's side were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Rangers earlier this month
Nick Montgomery spoke to HibsTV, external as his side prepare for Saturday's trip to face Rangers.
Here are the main points:
Montgomery gave a positive update on Martin Boyle who has been back in training and is "raring to go", adding that the international break was a good chance for him to focus on recovery.
Both Josh Campbell and Lewis Miller have been back in training. Campbell should be fully ready by next weekend while Miller could be in contention for the trip to Ibrox, but that decision will be made on Saturday.
Says there will be a "big atmosphere" at Ibrox in the game against Rangers.
Knows how big the task at hand is this weekend, but is confident his side can "give a good account of themselves".
Knows the players have to be brave when going to Ibrox and says the tie has "all the ingredients for a good game".
Image source, SNS
Three weeks on from their Scottish Cup meeting, Rangers and Hibs are at it again in the Premiership.
The incentive for Rangers is the chance to go back top of the table, at least until Celtic visit Livingston on Sunday.
For Hibs, it's about the top six and holding off the threat of seventh-placed Dundee, who are away to St Johnstone at the same time.
There have been nine goals in matches between Rangers and Hibs this season. The Ibrox side have scored them all.
Rangers are aiming for a seventh successive win against the Edinburgh side, with Hibs last taking a point early last season. The Easter Road men's last win over Rangers was in the 2021 League Cup semi-finals and their most recent league victory came in Govan in February 2018.
Rangers' 2-0 cup success at Easter Road earlier this month stands as their only win in the past four outings and Philippe Clement's side have lost their last two home matches; to Motherwell and Benfica.
Rangers haven't lost three consecutive games at Ibrox for 12 years.
Hibs have picked up four points against the bottom two since that cup defeat and scored 12 goals in six league games, but the visitors require a huge improvement since they have not laid a glove on Rangers this term.
While it is a key objective, reaching the top six will have no impact on the major rebuilding job planned for Hibernian during a busy summer, according to manager Nick Montgomery. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, SNSRangers’ James Tavernier has been involved in more goals (22) than any other player in the Scottish Premiership this season – scoring 14 goals and providing eight assists. Of the eight players to have scored more than 10 goals this season, Tavernier has the best shot conversion rate (24.14%).
Hibs are unbeaten across their last four away matches in the league, although all four matches have been draws. It’s their longest run of consecutive draws on the road since May 2018 (also four).
Rangers have lost each of their last two home matches across all competitions (against Motherwell and Benfica). The Ibrox side haven’t lost three consecutive matches at home since March 2012 under Ally McCoist.
Hibs have won just one of their last 10 matches against Rangers across all competitions (D1 L8), a 3-1 win in the Scottish League Cup semi-final in 2021.
Rangers are unbeaten in their last 21 top-flight matches against Hibs (W15 D6), an unbeaten run across four different permanent managers (Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale and Philippe Clement). It’s their joint-longest unbeaten run against Hibs in the top-flight (also 21 unbeaten between 1912 and 1922).
Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery is open to signing on-loan Emiliano Marcondes on a permanent deal if it can be done, but warns the Danish playmaker's demands would have to fit within an already established budget. (Edinburgh Evening News, external - subscription required)
Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.
Hibs travel to Ibrox on Saturday, knowing a win would go a long way to ensuring a top-half finish in the Scottish Premiership this season.
Who would like to see start against Rangers?
Put yourself in Nick Montgomery's shoes and pick your Hibs XI here.
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland
Having gone six league games unbeaten before the international break, there is an understandable sense of optimism within Easter Road, one that has been absent for a fair slice of this campaign.
However, with only three matches left to play before the split and a top-six spot still not guaranteed, there is little room for error in the next few weeks.
First up is a trip along the M8 to take on the team who could well be champions come the end of May.
Rangers have won the last nine league meetings between the sides at Ibrox and under Philippe Clement they look formidable.
Nick Montgomery will need every asset at his disposal for the season run-in and all being well, the Englishman may have Martin Boyle and Josh Campbell back from their respective injuries.
Boyle’s head knock against Rangers in the cup match earlier this month meant he missed the draw in Dingwall and victory over Livingston.
The winger's pace is a real weapon and he has unlocked Rangers' defence in the past.
Campbell’s injury came in the final game of 2023 against Hearts at Easter Road and although Emiliano Marcondes and Nathan Moriah-Walsh have done extremely well since joining in January, a fit and firing Campbell would be a welcome addition for the end of the season.
Hibernian "have learned" from their recent Scottish Cup defeat by Rangers, says manager Nick Montgomery, who wants to see the same application in Saturday's Premiership visit to Ibrox. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external
Former Hibs defender Paul McGinn believes the Easter Road club "have turned a bit of a corner". (Record), external
Image source, SNSJojo Wollacott got some rare minutes under his belt as he played the entirety of Ghana's eventful draw with Uganda.
The Hibs goalkeeper conceded twice, once from the penalty in the first-half as Steven Mukwala scored from the spot.
Jerome Opoku opened the scoring for Ghana before a pair of penalties at either end made is 2-1 at the break.
Muhammad Shaban scored a late Uganda equaliser in an eventual encounter, capped off by two Ghana red cards in the final stages.
Matty Fairnie
Fan writer
With the international break nearly at an end, we can look forward to Hibs’ trip to Ibrox to take on Rangers on Saturday. There has been no love lost between the sides this season, with a fiery fixture at Easter Road last month producing two red cards for Hibs as Rangers progressed in the Scottish Cup.
Since then, Hibs have vowed to cut away allocations at Easter Road on the back of visiting fans’ behaviour, while Rangers themselves condemned a section of the Hibs support after the last visit to Ibrox.
Neither team can really afford to drop points, and with Rangers now dumped out of European competition, they’ll have their full focus on their title challenge. W have our own targets though, and an unlikely win would give our top-six hopes a tremendous boost.
It’s not unknown for Hibs to upset the odds at Ibrox - fans will remember Ivan Sproule stepping off the bench to claim a hat-trick in a 0-3 win under Tony Mowbray, while an even more unlikely 0-3 win came under the much-maligned Colin Calderwood.
Hibs have hit a nice run of form, and will be looking to give a much better account than we’ve managed against Rangers so far this season.
Matty Fairnie can be found on the Longbangers podcast, external.
Image source, SNSO'Connor (right) celebrates with Airdie player-manager Rhys McCabe
Hibernian loanee Josh O'Connor is looking to kick on after helping Airdrieonians lift the SPFL Trust Trophy.
The 19-year-old won the match-winning penalty as Rhys McCabe's side saw off Welsh outfit The New Saints to bring silverware back to the Excelsior for the first time in 15 years.
“I am really happy,' O'Connor told club media, external. "It was my first senior final that I had played in, so to win and to contribute in the game was incredible for me.
““People might think ‘it’s only the Challenge Cup’ but at the end of the day – you always want to win silverware no matter what. As a team, we are all so happy to win this competition, and hopefully we can build on this and make the play-offs.”
“My time so far has been brilliant, the boys have taken me right in. There is a good mixture of people in there, there are young boys on their first senior loans and more experienced players too.
“It is a great changing room, a great place and everyone at the club has been brilliant with me. I have enjoyed every moment of it.”
Image source, SNSHibs have not been shy of mixing things up this season.
Nick Montgomery has used more players (37) than any other Scottish Premiership team this season.
That is even more than the Old Firm with Celtic having used 34 and Rangers having used 31.
Montgomery has been keen to give chances to youngsters in the squad, with Hibs academy players Rory Whittaker, Jacob MacIntyre, Kanayo Megwa, Rudi Molotnikov and Josh Landers all making their senior debuts this season.
The Hibs boss will be hoping to discover the next Josh Doig - the left-back moved to Italian club Hellas Verona in June 2022 for £3m, and the club earned more with a sell-on fee when he moved to Sassuolo.
Speaking earlier this year, Montgomery alluded to his choice to give youth a chance at the club.
"When I came into the club, I said that I would give everybody a chance, I'd give the young players a chance," he said.
"I'm passionate about developing young players and also recruiting young players from around the world and other teams and giving them the platform to."
We asked you whether Hibs can sneak into Europe as we ahead into the final stretch of the season.
Here's a taste of what you had to say:
Col: Hibs should be able to push on now. Performances of late have been much better and the players we have brought in in January are definitely improving the team. European football should be achievable. Our squad is better than the teams around us and now we need to show that.
Kenny: It’s going to be tight. Hopefully we can do it and I don’t think Dundee will win all their games but it’s been a difficult season. We need a settled team and more importantly a settled management set-up. We have too many players coming and going. We need players that want to play for Hibs.
Ryan: Emiliano Marcondes and Myziane Maolida have made a huge difference, also the change of shape. I believe Hibs are well capable of reaching fifth place. But must win games v St Johnstone and Motherwell. Also, need Dundee to drop points, which is likely. We must focus on us though.
David: Hibs need consistency and a good few wins, hopefully they will stay in top six. A place in Europe would be great.
Neil: The best we can do is fourth place. The talent is there, however we’ve let too many games end in a draw this season. Hibs are 17 points behind Hearts in third, however we’ve only lost one more game than them, which says it all. We need the right mentality to see games out and improve our defensive record, while being more ruthless at the other end.
Sandy: Top six must come first . Our players are firing as a unit at the moment, so I'm confident we can get the top six done. Then, European competition would be in our own hands.
Hibernian winger Martin Boyle should be fit to face Rangers at Ibrox after recovering from a concussion picked up against the same side, while midfielder Josh Campbell has taken a major step on the road to recovery from a broken ankle. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Image source, BBC SportSean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSElie Youan is an enigma.
One minute he's making Hibs fans tear their hair out, the next he's tearing up the opposition.
In recent weeks, the Frenchman has found his footing again, providing four assists in his last three outings. It's a story of production that has been bubbling under the surface all season.
Youan has 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions. His tally of 20 goal contributions is comfortably bigger than any other player at Easter Road, with Martin Boyle's 13 making the Australian international his closest contributor.
At just 24-years-old, there's clearly still room for the forward to grow. He admitted himself after the winter break that concentrating for an full 90 minutes is something he's struggled with his entire career.
If he can rack up 20 goal contributions without being completely wired into the game, you wonder how much his output would stretch if his attention span reached a greater level.
Youan - and his various managers - say consistency is key for a promising player. Keep up this form and fire Hibs to the top-six, maybe even European football, and the doubters and naysayers may be forced into a change of heart.
We're firmly into the business end of the season.
Hibs have hopes to remain in the top six and maybe even sneak into a European spot. We want to know how you're feeling heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
Is European football a realistic goal? Who will be the key players if it is to be a successful end to the year? And what's your biggest concern that might trips Hibs up?
Image source, SNSJacob MacIntyre says it was "surreal" to make his Hibs debut at 18 years old against Livingston.
He is the sixth member of the Hibs academy to make his senior debut in Nick Montgomery's side, with Reuben McAllister, Kanayo Megwa, Rudi Molotnikov, Rory Whittaker and Josh Landers all making appearances.
He came on as a substitute in the 3-0 win, following in the footsteps of his brother, Oscar, who made his debut in 2022 and is currently on loan at Annan Athletic.
"It felt amazing and it happened so quickly to be honest, I couldn’t find a better club to make my debut at and it was just a surreal feeling," MacIntyre told Hibs club media, external.
"It was the perfect timing for it to happen against Livingston. We were 2-0 inside seven minutes and I was thinking 'if we can get a few more goals then I might get on' – thankfully that happened and I am really happy.
"My brother made his debut a few years ago now, hopefully in the future we can share the same pitch together."
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland
It’s now six unbeaten in the league for Nick Montgomery and although a top-six spot is far from secure, there is an air of positivity around Easter Road.
The quality of player signed in January is without doubt the key reason why a corner has been turned.
In Emiliano Marcondes Hibs have a player with immense talent - he has lit up Easter Road with some of his performances since arriving in Leith.
It’s visible how he has brought players like Elie Youan and Jair Tavares more into the game. His play has also freed up Joe Newell, with the midfielder setting up some key goals recently.
Marcondes is out of contract this summer and although his performances in in a Hibs shirt will have other clubs on alert, Hibs does look to be a perfect fit for the Dane.
Marcondes has said that playing in European competition is one of his goals, so the incentive for Hibs should be to try to secure a top-six spot, before pushing on for a European place.
Achieve that and Marcondes will have a big decision to make about where he plays his football next season.
Image source, SNSJordan Obita says his move to Hibs has been "perfect" after signing a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2026.
The 29-year-old is now eyeing a strong end to his first full season at Easter Road as his side look to remain in the top six and finish in the European places.
"I'm really happy," the defender told club media, external. "I've been enjoying myself here. It was really easy. When they came to me and offered a new deal, I was really happy because I've only been here seven months.
"I've been playing a lot of minutes, so I was really proud that the club wanted to offer me an extension.
"It was a big move, I'd never moved from more area in Reading. It was a big step up here to Scotland but I've settled in really well. It's been perfect.
"In England, you don't get to play against Celtic and Rangers. That'd be the equivalent of playing against a Premier League team. We've progressed really well and hopefully we can finish the season well."
Obita's family have also settled down in the capital, but the dad-of-three admits juggling professional football with fatherhood comes with it's challenges.
"[It's] difficult. You get home but you've got to deal with the three kids - they keep you busy. They're really enjoying it here too."
