Hibernian

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Hibs were at their free-flowing best as they swept aside bottom side Livingston with ease at Easter Road.

Chris Cadden has been a welcome sight in recent weeks and has settled back into the side impressively following a lengthy lay-off with injury.

Meanwhile, Joe Newell was at the heart of the terrific football on display in Leith on Saturday, weaving some brilliant moves that showed Nick Montgomery's principles in the best possible light.

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A 5-1 win certainly isn't a bad way to win your first piece of silverware in 16 years.

Hibs did just that when they thumped Kilmarnock at Hampden on this day in 2007 to lift the League Cup.

Rob Jones' header just before half-time got the Leith side moving, before Abdessalam Benjelloun and Steven Fletcher both struck from the edge of the box to force a commanding lead.

Gordon Greer pulled one back for Killie, but Benjelloun and Fletcher would both have their say late on as Hibs waltzed to victory.

Now that 17 years have passed, when will Hibs once again get their hands on the trophy?

"A great start and solid performance all over," was how Emiliano Marcondes assessed Hibernian's 3-0 win over Livingston.

The hosts scored two inside the first seven minutes at Easter Road, adding a third on 22 minutes against the Premiership's bottom side.

"We always want to start strong and fast, especially at home," Marcondes told HibsTV. "We got the early goal, got a bit of confidence and momentum, got the crowd going as well.

"To get the third goal was very important.

"We wanted a fourth, but maybe it was a bit too comfortable in the second half."

The Danish midfielder, 29, who will be a free agent in the summer, has been influential since arriving on loan from Bournemouth.

"It's great to be here," he said. "Edinburgh reminds me of Copenhagen, which I like a lot."

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We asked for your thoughts after Hibs comfortably beat Livingston 3-0.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

James: Quick, incisive passing and movement from the off. Today we took chances missed in previous weeks. Nectarios Triantis, Adam Le Fondre and Joe Newell all excellent. If only refereeing decisions had been fair in recent games we would be in a healthy position.

Anon: I thought it was a great game, and it was so unfortunate that Chris Cadden got injured, as he was playing great. I thought that the second half was a bit slower but the first was great. I thought it was a great game and we deserved it.

George: I'm being greedy but three up after 22 mins, surely we bang in more? But, positivity - we scored three, kept a clean sheet. Some more positives in that Cadden is back and he's up for it and Triantis looks the business playing further forward in central midfield. But Livi are bottom for a reason. Ship is steadying - top six looks on.

John: Fine margins stopped us from scoring many more. The middle to front now starting to gel. Looking forward to many more goals by the end of the season.

Anon: Perfect first half performance and nice to see three well-worked team goals. Le Fondre's clever movement in the box makes a massive difference. Second half was a bit disappointing as we should have scored more against a weak Livi team, who were maybe feeling the effects of a sickness bug. Overall, good display and delighted we’re back into the top six.

Allan: That result has been coming. Only disappointment was that we didn’t score more. Livingston got bodies behind the ball but the creativity, movement and composure from Hibs was first class. Looked like we had more intensity to our game too. Good day at the office, and the players and staff should be delighted with that performance going into the break.

Anon: With a credible forward threat and a defence maturing with each game Hibs are quickly becoming a tough prospect for any Scottish Premiership opposition. We head to Ibrox with far more potential to disrupt the script and take something from that game.

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• Myziane Maolida and Adam le Fondre has scored five goals this season (one in this game), no Hibs player has more in the Scottish Premiership.

• Livingston have failed to score in 15 of their 30 games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Elie Youan has assisted seven goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Hibs player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Jordan Obita scored after just four minutes and 43 seconds, the fastest goal for Hibs in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Hibs have scored in their last seven games in the Scottish Premiership, their joint longest scoring streak this season.

Hibs fans, what did you make of Saturday's swashbuckling display? We want your views on the game – have your say here.

This was the showing Hibs fans have craved.

Since Nick Montgomery's arrival, they have produced, in patches, swagger on the ball and a slew of eye-catching goals.

Their propensity to point the gun at their foot and empty both barrels has been their undoing. Maddening concessions, leads blown and blown again.

At last, they dished out a pasting. Three fabulous goals, carved very much in the mould of Montgomery's attacking blueprint, and no sign of the flakiness at the back which has dogged them.

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Joe Newell makes Hibs tick from midfield, while Elie Youan played with more attacking clarity than usual and Chris Cadden has roared back to form after a serious long-term injury.

But even at 37, Adam Le Fondre continues to show his undying class. Though wizened in years, the striker is pin-sharp, his movement, direction and finishing terrific.

Now free from injury, he has a big part to play as Hibs chase a top-six berth.

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Hibernian: Marshall, Cadden, Fish, Bushiri, Obita, Triantis, Newell, Marcondes, Youan, Maolida, Le Fondre.

Substitutes: Wollacott, Hanlon, Levitt, Stevenson, Tavares, Mayenda, Moriah-Welsh, J MacIntyre, Whittaker.

Livingston: George, Brandon, Obileye, Sean Kelly, Montano, Carson, Stephen Kelly, Holt, Bradley, Nouble, Yengi.

Substitutes: McGovern, Hamilton, Donnellan, Devlin, Anderson, Sangare, Guthrie, Culbert, Sharp.

Adam Le Fondre, who netted in Hibernian's midweek draw with Ross County, is elevated to the starting line-up for the visit of Livingston. Regular striker Dylan Vente remains sidelined through injury.

It's the 37-year-old forward's first start since Hallowe'en having fought his way back from injury over the festive period.

Chris Cadden also starts ahead of the injured Lewis Miller, with Dylan Levitt dropping to a bench which features Nathan Moriah-Welsh, who has served a suspension.

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Nick Montgomery is hopeful Martin Boyle will be back in action after the international break.

The Hibs boss suggested Boyle, who suffered a head injury in his side's Scottish Cup defeat to Rangers, could be back in training next week.

This would the give the Australian international further time to recover before they once again face the Ibrox side on 30 March.

“I spoke to Martin this morning and he is still a bit in a dark room," Montgomery said. "He's still not feeling great but progressing slowly.

“It’s never nice having a bad concussion. There is never a good time to get injured but going into an international break it gives a couple of weeks for Martin to get back into training.

“I’m hoping he will be back in on Monday but the most important thing is he is back home with his family.

“The doctor has been out to seem him with the physios and he is just nursing a bit of a bad headache.

"It's something we have to keep an eye on but hopefully we can get him back in next week and gives us two weeks to get him ready after the break.”

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hibs manager Nick Montgomery has been talking to the media ahead of his side's meeting with Livingston at Easter Road on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Martin Boyle is "still not feeling great" but is hoped to return to training in some capacity on Monday. The club will keep an eye on him over the next few weeks, with a view to a return for the Australian after the international break.

• Despite admitting his "frustration" with refereeing decisions - such as the one in the build up to Ross County's equaliser on Wednesday - he says they can't change the past and must now look forward".

• Says his side could have defended the situation better and they "wouldn't be talking about it if either the correct decision was made, or they prevented the goal.

• Believes they can "finish the season strong" as he eyes 12 points out of 12 before the split.

• Livingston are "fighting for their lives" and Hibs "can't afford to take them lightly". Adds he has a "lot of respect" for David Martindale and "enjoys talking to him" when the sides meet.

• Lewis Miller is a doubt after coming off with a knock in Dingwall. Jair Tavares is back from illness, while Nathan Moriah-Welsh returns from suspension, but Dylan Vente still has a "sore one in the ankle, although the striker is "a lot better".

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• After a run of four straight league defeats against Livingston between December 2021 and August 2022, Hibernian have since won three of their last four games against the Lions in the Scottish Premiership (L1).

• Livingston have already won away at Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership this season, winning 3-2 in August; the Lions have never won back-to-back top-flight games on the road against Hibs.

• Hibernian have won both of their last two home league games, and could win three in a row at Easter Road for the first time since October 2022.

• Livingston are winless across their last 13 away games in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L10) since beating Hibernian 3-2 in their second away game of the season; David Martindale's side have also conceded in each of their last 24 away games in the competition, the longest such run by any side since Livingston themselves in December 2020 (27 in a row).

• Hibernian’s Martin Boyle has only scored more goals against Aberdeen (7) in the Scottish Premiership than against Livingston (5), netting once in each of his last three home outings in the league against the West Lothian outfit.

Hibernian winger Martin Boyle, who is recovering from a concussion, has been omitted from Australia's latest squad but Hearts defenders Nathaniel Atkinson and Kye Rowles have been included for the two games against Lebanon. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip

Hibs have a chance to return to the top six of the Scottish Premiership when they welcome bottom side Livingston to Easter Road on Saturday.

Nick Montgomery's run of five without defeat came to an end in the Scottish Cup last weekend, but who should he pick to get back to winning ways?

Choose your Hibs XI here.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland

Another contentious referee call went against Hibernian in their 2-2 draw with Ross County and it’s fair to say there is a lot head scratching after the latest incident.

A top-six finish is now out of their hands, but Hibs must now target wins in all of the remaining four matches prior to the split.

First up on Saturday is a home match against bottom club Livingston.

Although the West Lothian outfit managed a victory at Easter Road back in August, Hibs were competing for a place in the group stages of the Europa League and just a few days earlier had been hammered at home by Aston Villa.

The club and the team are in a very different situation now and although the loss of Martin Boyle is a huge blow there are others within the squad more than capable of stepping up.

The international break also comes at a good time for Nick Montgomery's side. All being well the aforementioned Boyle may be back for the trip to Ibrox. The break will also allow the likes of Chris Cadden to catch his breath after his welcome return from a lengthy injury break.

Although there are only four games to go before the split, don’t be too surprised if there are a few twists and turns still to come in the battle for what is a coveted top-six spot.

Watch Sportscene analysis of Hibs' 2-2 draw against Ross County

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• Hibernian are undefeated in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 28 October 2023 to 3 December 2023, a run of 6 games.

• Hibernian have scored in their last six games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of seven games from 31 October 2023 to 9 December 2023.

• Simon Murray has assisted four goals this season, more than any other Ross County player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Joe Newell has assisted five goals this season, no Hibernian player has more in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your thoughts after Yan Dhanda's late goal denied Hibs victory in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Sandy: If there's a difficult way of doing things, Hibs will choose that way. A brilliant Adam Le Fondre goal and David Marshall's save in stoppage time should have sealed an away victory, but a single lapse of concentration by the defenders from a disputed throw-in cost us dearly. That's why we’re in seventh place tonight.

Anon: Please use the new investment in the team to buy a top-class central defender in the summer.

Scott: While the January transfer window brought us some good offensive players, every Hibs fan knew it was the defence that needed sorting - to not address that was criminal. A new goalkeeper and two new centre-backs a must in the summer. If we don't make the top six, Nick Montgomery must go.

Anon: Hibs look great going forward. Maybe they need to think about a controlled way to defend with less panic and self-made disruption, as they are good enough.