Hibernian

We asked for your views on Hibs' 4-0 win against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Craig: Wow, we now approach every game with confidence, and it's refreshing to be walking along to the stadium in such high spirits. Another display of Rocky Bushiri brilliance, Kieron Bowie showing that he's a real contender to the star man, and Dwight Gayle, well, that's his quality right there. Everyone on the park is playing for each other, and it's truly a joy to watch this best brand of football the world has ever seen... In this part of Edinburgh, at least.

Stephen: From absolutely berating this team at the beginning of the season, now I am almost lost for words, absolutely amazing turnaround and deserved from being bottom in November to third place now, couldn't ask for any more, well done Hibs.

Gordon: Again, well done Hibs, another solid, confident and dominant display. Congratulations again to David Gray and his players for keeping this amazing unbeaten run going.

Scott: Hibs' work rate without the ball now is unrecognisable as they hunt in packs and bully teams into giving up possession. Not only that, but they play really attractive attacking football, all quite unrecognisable from a few months ago. Keeping Bowie fit over the next few weeks will be key to Hibs' final finishing position.

Sandy: We must be running out of superlatives for this Hibs team. What a near-perfect performance and a great game to watch. It could easily have been more than 4-0, but the standout was the glimpse of Bowie's natural footballing skills. I believe he's going to be absolutely one of the greats for Hibs and Scotland. Onwards and upwards.

Sean: Excellent, especially the first half, unlucky not to go in with more than the one, that's not to say the second half was poor, it certainly wasn't. A great team performance, and people eager to close down quickly after someone made a mistake. Bowie will take the headlines with his brace. However, for me, if I had to pick anyone, Rocky was the standout. Solid at the back, organising and with an excellently taken goal.

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• Hibernian have scored in each of their last seven games in the Premiership, scoring 17 goals in that run.

• They have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three games in the Premiership, a run of 304 minutes without conceding a goal.

• Their last longer run of games without conceding a goal in the competition was a run of four games from 19 February 2022 to 5 March 2022.

• Martin Boyle has contributed to goals in his last five games in the Premiership (four goals, one assist).

• Boyle has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

• Nicky Cadden has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

Watch highlights as four-goal Hibernian extend their remarkable unbeaten run by thrashing Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

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Hibernian claimed a thumping win over Dundee to equal a club record unbeaten league streak of 17 matches - set in 1948 - and consolidate third place in the Scottish Premiership.

David Gray's side moved three points clear of Dundee United and Aberdeen, who squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Rangers earlier on Sunday.

Second-bottom Dundee remain a point behind Ross County and Kilmarnock but five clear of St Johnstone.

Hibs fans, give us your thoughts on the game here.

Hibernian head coach David Gray told Premier Sports: "Delighted, especially in the first half, I thought we were excellent.

"Second half, we started a bit flat and credit to Dundee, they changed it a bit, but our subs came on and made a massive difference.

"All in all, it's a fantastic day's work.

"This is where the squad's really important; the team that starts the game is never the team that finishes it. I really feel the togetherness is there, you can't ask for more.

"The key was to try and stay consistent. It's easy to say now, but I fully believed in the players."

On Kieron Bowie, he adds: "He's got all the attributes, he's a defender's nightmare. He'll benefit from a full pre-season, too. We're nowhere near seeing the best of him yet.

"He wants to improve too, which is one of his best attributes."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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On their current form, Hibs are looking the real deal when it comes to being favourites for third spot.

There is an energy around Easter Road that has been missing for some considerable time.

These are by and large the same players who struggled at the start of the season. They deserve a huge amount of praise for turning what could have been a calamitous campaign into one that is likely to end with European adventures to look forward to.

However, most of all, head coach Gray is proving to the doubters, and there were a few during those dark days, he can develop a group of players into a competitive team and they will go into the final five games with massive confidence.

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Kieron Bowie certainly did. As did Rocky Bushiri. Nectar Triantis was also on form.

In all honesty, all of the Hibs side could be highlighted here, it was a great team performance.

Rory Loy told BBC Radio Scotland: "There wasn't one player in that Hibs team who didn't play well.

"An all-round quality showing."

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Hibernian manager David Gray says his side are desperate to get back out on the pitch to face Dundee after the euphoria of last weekend's victory over Rangers.

Hibs made it 16 Premiership matches in a row without defeat when they achieved their first win at Ibrox since 2018 last Saturday.

They return to action at Easter Road against relegation-threatened Dundee on Sunday and Gray said the mood among his players is "really positive" as they prepare for their final pre-split fixture.

"The extra day was beneficial because we were actually able to give the boys a day off earlier on in the week which was great, you get a bit of freshness into the players," Gray said.

"But then when you're winning games of football, everybody feels good about themselves, the bumps and bruises don't feel as sore, everyone's positive and training's been really good as a result of that.

"I think everyone's in a real good place and they're just wanting the games to keep coming."

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Tony Docherty wants Dundee to spoil Hibs' party when he takes his side to Easter Road on Sunday.

The resurgent third-place Hibees will equal a club record of 17 league games unbeaten - set in 1948 - should they take at least a point against the visitors.

Dundee, on the other hand, occupy the relegation play-off spot and are five points ahead of St Johnstone at the bottom with six games to play as they chase survival.

"We play the same way all the time," manager Docherty said.

"In every game we set up to win the match, but we are playing against a good team in Hibs.

"They have done exceptionally well recently, but in the last four they are on the same run as us, they've also won two, drawn one and lost one [Hibs were beaten by Celtic in the cup].

"So two teams on form, but they are at home and I think they have a record to try to break so that is another motivation for us, to try and make sure they don't do that.

"But any game you analyse your opponents, they have their strength and weaknesses and we have worked on that all week.

"We always set out to win every match we play but we know there has to be a balance between in possession and out of possession and we'll be endeavouring to do that.

"Hopefully we can give ourselves a shot in the arm by going into that split with another victory under our belt, another three points and putting ourselves in a decent position."

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Hibs remain without Joe Newell (groin) and Elie Youan (toe), while Kwon Hyeok-kyu (ankle) and Rudi Molotnikov (groin) are both doubts.

Dundee have had a full squad in training but Scott Fraser is still short of match fitness after groin trouble.

Hibernian midfielder Dylan Levitt, 24, says there was nothing in rumours linking him with Wrexham in January. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

Celtic could still win a 13th Scottish top-flight title in 14 seasons this weekend, despite their shock defeat away to St Johnstone last Sunday.

Victory at home against Kilmarnock on Saturday would be sufficient to confirm the arithmetic should Rangers lose at Aberdeen the following day.

The Ibrox side are almost certain to clinch the second Champions League place, but four points from their final six matches would confirm it.

Whoever finishes third and fourth will also be in Europe, as will the division's fifth-placed side should the Scottish Cup winners be one of the Premiership's top four.

The fight for the final top-six place will go to the final game before the split, with one of Hearts, Motherwell or St Mirren claiming it.

Hearts visit Fir Park one point in front of their hosts and the Paisley side, who take on Ross County.

The two teams missing out could yet be sucked into a relegation battle.

Bottom side St Johnstone are now five adrift of Dundee and six behind Kilmarnock and Ross County. Motherwell and St Mirren are a further three points ahead.

With the teams all playing each other again post-split, there is still plenty scope for movement between now and 18 May.

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• Hibernian remain unbeaten in their past 15 top-flight home games against Dundee (W8 D7) since a 1-2 reverse in October 2001 under Alex McLeish.

• After beating Hibernian 4-1 in December, Dundee are looking to win back-to-back games against Hibs in the top-flight for the first time since January 2002 under Ivano Bonetti (three in a row).

• Hibernian remain unbeaten in 16 league games (W11 D5), winning both of their last two without conceding; Hibs last won three successive Scottish Premiership matches while keeping a clean sheet each time in October 2018, a run which started with a 3-0 win over Dundee.

• Dundee have won two of their past three league games (L1), as many as their previous 14 beforehand (W2 D3 L9).

• Martin Boyle has scored in each of his past four Scottish Premiership appearances for Hibernian; the last player to find the net in five in a row for Hibs in the competition was Christian Doidge in December 2019.

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David Gray insists his Hibs side are a "different animal" to the team beaten by Dundee earlier this season.

The Easter Road club were on the end of a heavy 4-1 defeat at Dens Park back in November, a result which left them rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table and put the head coach under serious pressure.

Five months later, Hibs sit third in the top flight, unbeaten in 16 league games, as they welcome a Dundee team who sit in the relegation play-off spot.

"We've been really conscious of taking it one game at a time," head coach Gray said. "That's something that's worked really well for us.

"If you think back to the reverse fixture, the last time we played Dundee was our lowest point in the season. To lose the game at Dens 4-1 to where we are now, we're a completely different animal and we want to keep pushing forward.

"It shows how much a challenge it's going to be [that we've not beaten them this season]. Dundee are fighting for their lives but they also score a lot of goals, they've scored the same amount of goals to us this season.

"They force you to defend, they've got loads of energy especially in the middle of the pitch and we know the constant threat of Simon Murray. It's a game at home, there's an expectation on us to get three points and that's what we set out to do."

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Hibs head coach David Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Dundee on Sunday.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• The boss is expecting a "real difficult" game from a Dundee side who are "fighting for their lives" at the bottom end of the table but stresses the players are "full of confidence" and desperate to continue the unbeaten run.

• Gray says conversations are being had with all the players who are out of contract at the end of the campaign but insists there's "no distractions" for those players who are fully focused on the rest of this season.

• The prospect of European football next term is a "massive carrot" for any player and Gray knows his side have a "genuine opportunity" to finish in those positions this term - "if we keep winning nobody can catch us".

• The Hibs boss stresses his side are a "different animal" to the team that were beaten 4-1 at Dens Park the last time the sides met.

• Says it's great to see Simon Murray doing so well but hopes he is "quiet" in the game this weekend.

• Gray says there are no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday's game - Kwon Hyeok-kyu has been nursing an ankle injury so is unlikely to feature while Rudi Molotnikov has a bit of a groin issue but is not expected to be out longer term.

Manager David Gray has confirmed that Hibernian will hold talks with Dylan Vente at the end of this season, with the Dutch striker having scored 13 Eredivisie goals on loan at PEC Zwolle. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

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Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Hibs held on to third place with a comfortable win at Ibrox on Saturday.

With Aberdeen hot on our heels, there were a lot of fans and pundits that saw the weekend's fixtures as an opportunity for Aberdeen to finally reclaim third, having relinquished it a few weeks back while they were on their own dismal run.

However, Hibs had other ideas and it says so much about this team's character, belief and ability that they didn't just come home with the three points from Glasgow, but they did it in a manner that belied the pressure on them.

Just as they had done against St Johnstone the week before, they made the game look easy.

David Gray earned his third manager of the month with March's award and he must be a serious contender for manager of the year, regardless of how the league plays out from here.

The turnaround in results has been nothing short of unbelievable, with Hibs' 16-game unbeaten run in the league the best the club has achieved since the 1940s.

Gray has chalked up wins against Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hearts in that spell, statement wins that have cemented what was a fractured relationship between the fans and players at one stage this season.

The feel-good factor is all over Hibs, reflected in record-breaking season ticket sales for next season.

There was a moment earlier in the season when the writing was on the wall for Gray. The club deserve credit for standing by him despite the results, and he has repaid their faith in spectacular style.

Hibs have yet to beat this Sunday's opponents, Dundee, this season. Gray's men will be determined to put that right to make sure we stay third for another week at least.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers, external

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Hibernian are now reaping the rewards of having patience and faith with head coach David Gray, says former Scotland defender Joelle Murray.

After a tough start to the campaign, fears were growing that club legend Gray would be next in a lengthy list of Hibs managers to face the sack in recent years.

But the Leith side have since surged up the Scottish Premiership table and now sit in third place amid a remarkable unbeaten run, which stretched to 16 games with a well-earned victory at Rangers on Saturday.

Murray, who won multiple domestic honours with Hibs' women's side, says she is "absolutely delighted" at the turnaround.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Murray added: "The patience and the faith the board and the club has shown has certainly paid off, and it's not been a fluke."

Former Hibs defender Murray also heaped praise on current Easter Road centre-back Rocky Bushiri for his impressive form in recent months.

"Rocky knows his strengths, knows his capabilities, knows what he can and can't do," Murray added.

"And I think as the season's gone on, he's kind grown into that role in the middle of the back three."

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With Saturday's 2-0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox, Hibernian's first since 2018, David Gray's side made it 16 games unbeaten in the top flight.

In fact, you'd have to go back to 7 December to find the last league defeat the Easter Road club suffered - a 3-0 defeat by Celtic at Parkhead.

If the league had kicked off the day after that loss, they would be far and away the best team in Scotland, such is their form.

Gray's side have won 11 of their past 16 games - more than any other side in the top flight - and haven't lost a single one, something no other team in the division has achieved.

As well as beating both sides of the Old Firm in that period, they've got a better defensive record than them both as well.

Hibs have conceded four fewer goals than Celtic and 10 fewer than Rangers and have also picked up six more points than both Glasgow teams.

Hibs' win over Rangers moved them within 15 points of the Ibrox club with six games still to play.

David Gray's next test comes in the form of Dundee, currently fighting for their survival at the bottom end of the Premiership. Can they make it 17 unbeaten in their search for a third-place finish?

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Hibernian continued their magnificent league form with a 2-0 win at Ibrox on Saturday and duly have three players in my team of the week.

Rocky Bushiri has matured and flourished under David Gray as the season has progressed, much as the team has as a whole. He has become a seriously important player

Dylan Levitt took a chance with a drive from range and set Hibs on their way to victory, with the help of a fumble from Rangers keeper Jack Butland.

Nectarios Triantis also gets the nod in midfield. He continues to impress in the centre of this Hibs side - what a season he is having on loan from Sunderland.

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Martin Boyle's goal in Hibs' victory over Rangers.