Hibernian

Hibs face being without players after the winter break while the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup take place.

Hibs have two key players who are likely to be included in Graham Arnold's Socceroos squad. Defender Lewis Miller and Martin Boyle both played in the recent World Cup qualifiers against Palestine and Bangladesh.

They could also be missing both Rocky Bushiri, who made his debut for DR Congo recently, and Ghana goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott.

AFCON starts and finishes a day after the Asian Cup (12 January-10 February).

The Premiership pauses after fixtures on 2 January until 23 January. The fourth round of the Scottish Cup takes place over the weekend of 20 January.

• Hibernian have lost just one of their last six league meetings with Aberdeen (W3 D2), a 4-1 defeat in November 2022.

• Aberdeen have lost four of their last five league trips to Hibernian (D1) since a 1-0 win in August 2020. They lost their last such visit 6-0 in January last season.

• After going winless in six matches from September to November (D5 L1), Hibernian have since won each of their last two league matches, last winning three on the bounce in March.

• Aberdeen have only won three matches in the Scottish Premiership this season (D4 L5), although each of their last two victories have come away from home – 3-1 v Rangers and 4-2 v Motherwell.

• Hibernian’s Josh Campbell has the best overperformance of expected goals this season, netting three times from an xG of just 0.79.

Hibernian welcome Aberdeen to Easter Road on Sunday and Nick Montgomery will be hoping his side can continue their momentum after back-to-back wins against Kilmarnock and Dundee.

If you were the manager, who would you pick to start? Tell us here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport Scotland

For the second game in succession, the Hibernian defence showed the character and belief they could keep their goal intact late on and secure another vital three points in the battle to push towards the top end of the table.

Great credit has to be given to both Will Fish and Rocky Bushiri, along with Paul Hanlon and Jimmy Jeggo who both came on as substitutes.

Hanlon has been a stalwart at the club and, despite losing his place in recent weeks in the starting XI, he has shown great maturity whenever he has been called upon.

Every club needs a Paul Hanlon who they can rely on when things go against them, as was the case on Saturday against Dundee when Lewis Miller was sent off.

With over 500 first team appearances behind him in his 15 years at Easter Road, he has been a tremendous ambassador for the club and a true inspiration to the many youngsters now making their way through the youth ranks.

Along with his fellow defender Lewis Stevenson, they set up a foundation to assisting less privileged children within the local areas and both gave up substantial proceeds from their testimonial seasons to kick off their charity.

With Lewis Miller suspended, it would be no surprise to see Nick Montgomery restore Hanlon back into the starting eleven for Saturday's home game against Aberdeen.

A victory on Saturday would be another big step forward for Hibs and give Montgomery three successive Premiership wins for the first time since he joined the club in September.

Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery would love to sign Will Fish on a permanent deal and he is hoping Manchester United, where the centre-half is under contract until at least summer 2025, can be persuaded to let the 20-year-old continue his development at Easter Road despite having an option to recall him in January. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mattie Fairnie, Longbangers podcast, external

Hibs left Dundee with all three points after a hard-fought win on Saturday. Having gone into a comfortable 0-2 lead, Hibs were reduced to ten men after Dundee’s Owen Beck hit the deck following the merest of touches from Lewis Miller, leading to a second yellow card for the Hibs full-back.

Miller’s day had been considerably better before his sending off, his towering header from a Joe Newell corner had found the top corner to double Hibs lead early in the second half, and that goal ensured the red card wasn’t as costly as it otherwise might have been.

Jair Tavares, enjoying a great run of form under Nick Montgomery, had given Hibs the lead in the first half. After collecting the ball inside his own half, Jair turned his marker before feeding the ball to Dylan Vente, whose low cross was dummied by Josh Campbell into Jair’s path and he made no mistake with his finish.

That was Jair’s second goal in three games, and few people would have envisaged a turnaround like this from the young Portuguese winger. He had fallen almost completely off the radar under former manager Lee Johnson and looked on his way out of the club. It’s a real credit to his tenacity, and the willingness of Montgomery to give players a chance, to see him now shining in a Hibs team that got its first back-to-back wins of the season.

Dundee threw everything at Hibs after the sending off, and although they pulled a goal back through Beck in the closing stages of the game, they never really looked like drawing level, largely thanks to some dogged defending from Hibs – with Jimmy Jeggo particularly influential in setting the tone – and some fine goalkeeping from David Marshall.

Hibs fans were again left scratching their heads at another penalty call being dismissed without so much as a nod to VAR when Miller was clearly impeded in the first half. The recent independent VAR review found that there were only three incorrect VAR decisions in the season so far. It is fair to say that claim was met with some derision from a Hibs support that has had more than its fair share of grievances with the system this season.

In the end though, it had no impact on the result, and Montgomery’s men carry the momentum of consecutive wins into next weekend’s home match against Aberdeen, where they will be looking to further establish their top-six credentials.

Manager Nick Montgomery has challenged Josh Campbell to try and force his way into Scotland's Euro 2024 squad after grabbing his opportunity at Hibernian. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Tuesday's gossip.

Jonathan Sutherland, Sportscene presenter

Hibs showed some steel to hold on for victory despite being down to 10 men for almost a third of the game, and one of the goalscorers was a bright spark.

Jair Tavares is finding his Premiership feet and is increasingly influential.

On-loan Manchester United defender Will Fish believes he has things to achieve at Hibernian before he focuses on his parent club ambitions. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

"He's stuck at it and now you can see the talent he's got," says Fish of midfield team-mate Jair Tavares as the latter's influence continues to grow. (Record), external

Hibs manager Nick Montgomery is happy to go easy on defender Lewis Miller following the match-winning goal scorer's red card away to Dundee on Saturday, describing the second yellow card as "harsh". (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip

Hibernian have been drawn against Forfar Athletic in the Scottish Cup fourth round.

The tie will take place at Station Park on the weekend of January 20/21.

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked for your thoughts after Hibernian's 2-1 win away to Dundee.

Fergus: I'm just really happy that we managed to win. A great performance. I think Nick Montgomery should start Elie Youan though.

Sandy: Well played lads. All parts of the team played for each other. Lewis Miller sending off - he will learn from it. And, when Dundee got a goal back, they fought for the win. The same team under the last manager would have fallen apart. 'The General' Montgomery has really started turning us around. It's good to be a Hibee again.

Kenny: A good win, but defending still a bit ropey. But overall a good performance and I can see a difference in the fitness of the players. We need to give the manager money for the January transfer window as we need strengthening at the back and up front, but we are going in the right direction. Well done.

George: Once again, a good game ruined by dubious refereeing decisions. Lewis Miller's second booking - really? Challenge on Josh Campbell in Dundee box. Clear contact (not on ball), no penalty - really? I could go on, but what's the point. Similarly, what's the point of VAR. We're told they check all important incidents, goals, penalties (given and not given). Really?

Fergis: Thought we played really well. A very soft sending off changed the game and you feared the worst when Dundee scored, but credit to the boys - we stick in and defended well. Still a bit more work needed to manage the game, especially towards the end. Fantastic three points and slowly starting to look like top-six team.

• Hibs have scored in 11 of their 14 games this season, only Celtic have scored in more league matches

• The Edinburgh club have scored in their last four games in the league, their longest runs of games with a goal in the competition since a nine-game streak between May and September this year

• Joe Newell has assisted three goals this season, more than any other Hibs player in the league

• Luke McCowan attempted eight shots in this game, the highest total for a Dundee player in the league this season

• Dundee have scored in each of their last three league games, scoring six goals in that run.

Were you at Dens Park to see Hibs beat Dundee despite Lewis Miller's red card, or were you following along from home?

Either way, we want your thoughts on the game and who stood out. Have your say here.

Hibs manager Nick Montgomery tells BBC Sportsound: "I thought we could have scored a couple of goals on the counter [at the end]. At 2-1 you need to stand strong, David Marshall was there when we needed him, and I'm really proud of the effort today.

"First half, we were excellent. We created a lot of opportunities. They're a good side, it's not an easy place to come, but we came with a game plan and deserved the win.

"Away from home, you have a man sent off and the crowd lift. We dealt with the majority [of balls in] really well, and I'm really happy with the performance.

"We've probably not got what we deserved in some games, but that's football, you have to earn the right, and I thought we did that. A lot of improvement to make, but we've been on the upward trajectory every week."

Image source, SNS

George O'Neill, BBC Sport Scotland

An unwelcome characteristic of Hibs' season has been their defensive fragility, demonstrated by their habit of conceding costly late goals.

There was a sense under Lee Johnson that they have a soft centre, and although performances have improved under Nick Montgomery, that air of vulnerability at the back still lingers.

When Lewis Miller saw red, the away contingent would have feared that all their good work was about to go up in smoke, but instead Hibs showed a steel and found a way to win with their backs against the wall. That can only prove a positive moving forwards.

For Dundee, they will look back at this as a missed opportunity. Luke McCowan could have had a hat-trick on another day, Amadou Bakayoko missed a couple of decent chances, and the Antonio Portales non-header truly beggars belief.

What will encourage Docherty is that once again they more than held their own against an established Premiership side, and in Liverpool loanee Owen Beck, they have one of the brightest talents in the division.

If the Dens Park outfit can sustain this level of performance, a top-six finish is a reachable target.

Dundee: Carson, McGhee, Portales, Shaughnessy, Lamie, Beck, Cameron, Boateng, McCowan, Bakayoko, Rudden.

Substitutes: Legzdins, Kerr, Tiffoney, Robinson, Reilly, Robertson, Howley, Donnelly, Sylla.

Hibernian: Marshall, Miller, Fish, Bushiri, Obita, Campbell, Levitt, Newell, Tavares, Boyle, Vente.

Substitutes: Wollacott, Hanlon, Youan, Jeggo, Doidge, Harbottle, Molotnikov, Whittaker, Landers.