Rangers return to Scottish Premiership action just days after new head coach Danny Rohl’s league debut and first victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox, with a trip to Edinburgh to face David Gray’s Hibernian at Easter Road.
Hibs currently occupy third place in the table, with the Gers having the opportunity to leapfrog them with a win tomorrow in the capital.
With Brendan Rodgers’ sudden resignation from second placed Celtic last night, Rohl and his men may also have the opportunity to close the gap on the Hoops to two points, depending on results, ahead of Sunday’s League Cup semi-final meeting at Hampden, with ex-Celtic manager Martin O’Neill in temporary charge, and the 73-year-old looking likely to take the team for the foreseeable future.
Hibs come into the match knowing they could themselves go in front of Celtic if results go their way and have won their previous two matches against Livingston and Aberdeen, following their Edinburgh derby defeat to runaway league leaders Hearts on October 4th.
The clubs met earlier in the season at Ibrox in the League Cup quarter-finals, with Russell Martin earning his first domestic win as Rangers boss. Nicolas Raskin and Bojan Miovski netting in a 2-0 victory, after Martin Boyle had seen his opener ruled out by VAR for handball.
Hibs will be looking for revenge and InsideIbrox spoke to Hibee Matty Fairnie, who hosts the Longbangers podcast and is a former columnist for the Hibs Observer, ahead of the match.
Speaking on Hibs’ start to the season, Matty believes things are beginning to settle into rhythm after an uneven opening spell.
He said: “The season has been decent so far and it feels like the team is just starting to click with two very good performances and wins against Livingston and Aberdeen.
“We’ve dropped some points that we shouldn’t have, and while every team will say the same, it’s frustrating because had we held on in those games we’d be right in the mix at the top of the table.”
A key part of that improvement has come down to David Gray refining his tactical approach, with personnel changes allowing a return to what worked previously.
Matty said: “We’ve seen David Gray experiment with ‘split tens’ earlier in the season and it didn’t really work.
“Despite good European performances, we looked less effective than we did last season using the 3-4-1-2.
“Bringing Daniel Barlaser in has allowed us to go back to last season’s system and we’re looking much more comfortable as a result.”
In terms of danger men, other than the obligatory threat of Aussie forward and stand-in captain Boyle, Matty was quick to highlight the form of one other standout forward, as well as the impact of his partner in attack.
“Thibault Klidje is the obvious one – he’s scored in three of his four starts this season,” he revealed.
“[Kieron] Bowie has been off form a little in terms of goals but he’s an absolute menace for defenders. That front two has worked well in the last couple of games.”
Hibs do, however, come into the match with a few injury issues to consider.
“Warren O’Hora was subbed on Sunday with a shoulder injury, and long term [captain] Joe Newell and Alasana Manneh are both still out,” Matty told us.
As for the mood within the support, spirits appear high following two strong results, and the added motivation of the cup defeat at Ibrox is not lost.
“Two wins have really lifted spirits,” he said.
“Rangers is never a fixture we struggle to get excited for and this game is no different.
“We’re expecting a big Hibs support who will be looking for more from the team than we saw at Ibrox.”
And while Rangers’ recent league form might encourage some outside observers to label this match an opportunity, Matty was clear that Hibs won’t be approaching it casually.
He said: “Our home record is outstanding over the last year, certainly in league form, so every game is one we’d look to win at Easter Road.
“You never know which Rangers will turn up, and we’ve not beaten Rangers at home in the top flight for a long time so nobody will take this game lightly.
“The last couple of games between the sides at Easter Road have been great games with plenty of goals, so hopefully we see more of the same.”
With both sides sensing momentum and the league table tightening as we approach the end of the first round of fixtures, Easter Road is set for a meeting shaped by heightened pressure and a chance for both sides to make strides away from the mid-table pack.
For Rangers, it’s about building on Rohl’s first league win. For Hibs, it’s a chance to prove their return to form is real after breaking club records last campaign, and to settle a score after, what they feel, was a harsh result at Ibrox.
Tomorrow, we see who steps forward and who returns to the drawing board.