Hibernian

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Jake Doyle-Hayes is ready to fight for a starting spot at Hibs after a difficult spell with injuries.

The 25-year-old made his first appearance in over a year on Sunday, coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Hearts.

Doyle-Hayes has been plagued by injuries and set-backs over the last 14 months but is finally back in contention for the Easter Road club.

Hibs manager David Gray insists he had no fears about the midfielder making his return in such a high-pressure game.

"It's been a difficult time for him," the manager said

"Frustration with injuries and challenges that we've had, but he's worked hard to get back in there.

"It's good to see him back on the pitch, obviously, and then the magnitude of the game and everything else just shows you that I had no concerns about him coming on.

"With the quality he's got, how well he's trained and his attitude every single day, I think he's someone that – as well as the players we've already got in the middle of the pitch – adds real strength and depth and quality and competition for places.

"He's going to work as hard as he can to try and get in the team because there is a lot of competition in there as well."

We asked for your views on Hibs' 1-1 draw against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Cameron: Soft at the back to lose a late goal yet again! Every Hibs fan can see it, week in and week out, that our defence has shocking lapses in concentration. This is the worst the team has been since the Pat Fenlon era.

John: At least we managed the nervous nineties without losing a goal. We were not composed enough in midfield to impose ourselves against a very average Hearts team but the clear cut chances should have been put away.

Rhona: A positive result as not many Hibs fans could say we were looking forward to this game with Hearts winning their last two. The only negative to take is the goalkeeper has made too many mistakes now and cost us three points when he flapped at a through pass which lead to Hearts' equaliser.

Jim: Just not good enough. The defensive stats speak for themselves, I hope that they are plastered all over the home changing room, they just don't make good reading.

Scott: David Gray must have been watching a different match. We were poor all round, again Lewis Miller was struggling in defence, not able to keep the ball and not take chances. We are bottom of the league for a reason that Gray cannot see or resolve. He talked this squad up time and time again, why? They are poor all round.

Brian: Really poor football. So many aimless long balls, the keeper is not good enough, and they don't look well coached, I'm sad to say.

Andy: I'd rather play the youth team back line than the charlatans we currently have taking up a jersey. We are bottom of the league because our defence is terrible and we don't take our chances up front. That's been the case for the last five years, wake up Hibs!

Watch highlights as Hibs draw 1-1 against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

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• Hearts have scored three goals via substitutes in the Premiership this season, only Hibernian (four) and Aberdeen (five) have scored more.

• Hibernian have attempted 12 shots in this game, with six (50%) from set pieces.

• Craig Gordon has made 5 saves, the first time he has made at least 5 saves in a match in the Premiership since facing Dundee on 11th May 2024 (5 saves).

• Mykola Kuharevich has scored two goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

Teenager James Wilson secured a dramatic late point for Hearts at Easter Road to keep Hibernian rooted to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Mykola Kuharevich's close-range strike with his first touch following Marvin Ekpiteta's header off the crossbar put Hibs in front in the second half.

Were you at Easter Road or following along from elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts on the game., external

Hibs manager David Gray: "If we keep feeling sorry for ourselves, nothing is going to change.

"We lose a goal late on, so I understand why the feeling is subdued and deflated because I firmly believe we deserve to win the game.

"Hearts had more possession but in areas we were comfortable with. We created more chances, the keeper made four or five big saves and for 99% of the game, we defended our box really well.

"I'm going to have to say the same thing again, which I've said numerous times this season, we've let ourselves down in the final moment with people not doing their jobs."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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The feeling of elation amongst the fans following their opener most likely gave way to apprehension and unease.

Having once again conceded a late sucker punch, they have now lost 9 points from a winning position in the top flight this season, more than any other team.

They've also conceded eight times in the final 15 minutes of games, again, a greater number than any other side.

Questions surrounding supposed defensive fragility have plagued the club for some time now and it appears to be an ongoing issue despite managerial and squad overhaul.

Their attacking options are experienced and proven options, Hoilett and Gayle both showing signs of real quality today.

It won't be for the want of trying, but the lack of similar players amongst their defensive ranks is an issue that needs to be addressed if they are to hold onto leads.

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Junior Hoilett showed his class at times, particularly with his set-piece deliveries.

Involving him, and Dwight Gayle, more going forward in the right positions will likely be key for Hibs if they are to return to winning ways.

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Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Kwon, Triantis, Boyle, Youan, Hoilett, Gayle.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Iredale, McKirdy, Moriah-Welsh, Bushiri, Molotnikov, Kuharevich.

Heart of Midlothian: Gordon, Oyegoke, Kent, Rowles, Penrice, Spittal, Devlin, Boateng, Dhanda, Vargas, Shankland.

Substitutes: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, Grant, McKay, Forrest, Wilson, Boyce, Forrester.

Under-pressure Hibernian head coach David Gray accepts that his legendary status at the club as their Scottish Cup-winning captain will not be enough keep him in a job if he does not turn their fortunes around. (Sunday Mail), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Hibernian have won just one of their last 11 Edinburgh derbies against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership (D6 L4), a 1-0 victory in April 2023.

• The away side has only won one of the last 10 Scottish Premiership meetings (three home wins, six draws), with Hearts winning 1-0 at Easter Road in December 2023.

• Hibs have lost each of their last three league games; they last lost four in a row in April 2023 – a run they ended by beating Hearts.

• Hearts picked up their first league win of the season in Neil Critchley’s first game in charge last weekend, beating St Mirren 4-0. The last Hearts boss to win both of his first two Scottish Premiership games in charge was Robbie Neilson in August 2015.

• Excluding penalties, no side has scored more goals from set-piece situations in the Scottish Premiership this season than Hearts (six), with this making up 60% of their total league goals (6/10).

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Hibs captain Joe Newell is suspended but Nectarios Triantis returns following a ban. Nicky Cadden and Chris Cadden are battling to prove their fitness while long-term absentees Kieron Bowie (hamstring)and Jake Doyle-Hayes remain on the sidelines.

Hearts hope to have midfielder Beni Baningime back after illness but Yutaro Oda is expected to remain on the sidelines, along with Gerald Taylor and Calem Nieuwenhof.

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David Gray wants struggling Hibernian to relaunch their season with a derby win on Sunday.

The Edinburgh sides are separated by just a single goal at the bottom of the Premiership, a position the beleaguered Gray admits is ‘not good enough’.

But despite Neil Critchley having recorded two impressive wins since taking charge at Tynecastle, Gray believes form is not necessarily a factor going into Sunday’s crucial clash.

“I think sometimes the derby goes against the form guide,” he said.

“It can go against who’s playing better, who’s got the better team on the day, or what you think going into the game.

“The one thing I’ve always thought going into these games is you need to believe you can win. That’s key, regardless whether you’re home or away.

“I already know what’s at stake, having played in them, experienced them. The players should be really looking forward to it. They should really look forward to the challenge. This is why you come and play here.

“It’ll be a full house at Easter Road and we really need the fans to be right behind us, which I know they will be,” he said. “They can really play a part in driving us at the start of the game.

“I’ll never forget coming back to Easter Road in the Scottish Cup run we had, the way we started the game with the fans right behind us really gave us an extra bit of motivation and drive. I really felt it on that day.

“We need it to be the same way again, right from the first whistle on Sunday.”

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Hibernian captain Joe Newell is suspended, but fellow midfielder Nectarios Triantis returns following a ban.

Winger Nicky Cadden and right-back twin Chris Cadden are battling to prove their fitness, while long-term absentees Kieron Bowie and Jake Doyle-Hayes remain on the sidelines.

Hearts hope to have midfielder Beni Baningime back after illness, but forward Yutaro Oda is expected to remain on the sidelines along with Gerald Taylor and Calem Nieuwenhof.

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Martin Boyle has "no doubt" his former team-mate David Gray can lift Hibs out of the doldrums and make a success of his managerial tenure.

The Easter Road side sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership table with just five points from eight games.

They welcome Hearts on Sunday for the first Edinburgh derby of the season with both teams under pressure after a poor start to the new campaign.

"I have no doubt in my mind that the gaffer will be successful here," Australia forward Boyle said.

"Albeit it's a results business and it can be ruthless, I have no doubt.

"We have the belief in him that we can turn this around. We have a group of players that will do it. Hopefully we can do that on Sunday. Not only for us, the fans, but for him because he deserves it.

"It's never nice seeing anyone lose their job, I've been there a few times. I'd certainly run through a brick wall for the manager, he knows that. He can lean on me and I can lean on him.

"With the trust he's put in us, we need to start giving more. That should be 100% given. When you put on this shirt, you have to give everything for this football club. We need to start doing that."

Boyle believes the derby is the perfect chance to ignite Hibs' season and improve relations with the fanbase.

"Football is mad, especially in this league, it can turn on its head quickly," he said. "If you can get a little run together you can be straight back up that table. Ideally that's what we want to do.

"Hopefully we can get a positive result this weekend and get the fans back on side and show them how much this club means to us. There's no better game than an Edinburgh derby. It's a massive one, probably the biggest one in years. It should be a tasty one."

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Scottish football has had to wait until late October for the first Edinburgh derby of the season and, as ever, there's a lot going on in the capital.

Hibernian replaced Hearts as the Premiership's bottom side last weekend after a lead away to Dundee United turned into a late defeat.

Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Hearts were recording their first league win of the season in Neil Critchley's maiden match in charge.

They followed that up with a solid midweek Conference League win over Omonia Nicosia - making it two wins out of two in that competition for the Tynecastle side.

Critchley could further endear himself to supporters and put some daylight between Hearts and their city rivals with victory at Easter Road.

In the opposing dugout, Hibs head coach David Gray is aiming to avoid a fourth straight defeat. His side have been on target in two of those games, but keeping clean sheets is becoming more and more elusive.

A fascinating contest awaits.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Hibs head coach David Gray has reminded his players they are paid to win football matches. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

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David Gray has shrugged off suggestions of a crisis at Hibs before Sunday's bottom-of-the-table Edinburgh derby.

Hibs are rooted to the foot of the Premiership with just five points from their eight league games, while city rivals Hearts are above them only on goal difference.

Despite three successive defeats Gray insists things will change for the better.

"No, it's not a crisis," Gray said. "I think it needs to be better, we all know that. I've said to the players, we're not looking for excuses at all.

"We're not using the fact that we went down to 10 men in the last two games as an excuse for not getting results in the last two. Does it play a factor? Of course it does. I think momentum in games, there's all sorts of things that go that way against you at times.

"But we also know what's in the group. We know how good we can be when we do get it right. I've still got that firm belief in everybody involved that we will turn it around."

Gray wants his players to use the energy of a sizeable home crowd on Sunday, but says they cannot allow their judgement to become clouded.

"You need to be calm in the chaos," Gray added. "You can't allow your emotions to get the better of you, or be reckless in the game. It's using the momentum and the motivation of what's at stake and feeding off the crowd.

"That's something I always loved as a player. The extra noise and enthusiasm to drive you forward can be a real bonus. We need to make sure we have that.

"The players should be really looking forward to it. They should look forward to the challenge, this is why you come and play. These are the games you remember forever."