Hibernian will host Dundee at the Easter Road Stadium on Saturday, still in search of their first points of the 2024-25 Scottish Premiership season.
The hosts have lost both of their opening matches with a 5-0 aggregate score, while the visitors have taken four points with one draw and a win.
Match preview
![Hibernian Manager David Gray during the Premier Sports Cup Group C match at Easter Road, Edinburgh UK against Peterhead on July 27, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/david-gray.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Hibernian Manager David Gray during the Premier Sports Cup Group C match at Easter Road, Edinburgh UK against Peterhead on July 27, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
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Since their return to the Scottish Premiership ahead of the 2017-18 season, Hibernian have been highly inconsistent in the following years, achieving a high of third place and a low of eighth place.
Last year saw them record their second worst campaign in those years, finishing in eighth with just 46 points, one more than they recorded in their eighth-placed finish in 2021-22.
Despite ending the season with a win and a draw, enjoying a positive pre-season, winning all three friendly fixtures, and starting the 2024-25 campaign with three wins from four Scottish League Cup group stage games, Hibernian have endured a dismal start to the new term.
David Gray's men fell to an extremely disappointing 3-0 defeat to St Mirren on the opening day, followed by a 2-0 loss to Celtic at home, leaving them as one of two teams yet to score in the league.
Hibs failed to impress once again in their most recent outing, conceding two goals within 17 minutes in an eventual 3-1 loss to Celtic in the second round of the Scottish League Cup.
Gray will be hoping his side can take their first points of the term when they face Dundee at home on Saturday, especially given they have not lost at Easter Road Stadium to Dundee in any of the past 10 meetings.
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As for the visitors, the 2023-24 season was a highly encouraging one for Tony Docherty's men, finishing sixth in the table in their first campaign back in the top flight since their relegation in 2021-22.
They did face difficulties in the post-split season, losing four and drawing one of their five matches in the Championship round playoffs to leave them in sixth, denying them a chance at European football.
Docherty's men showed signs of major improvement during their pre-season preparations for this season, winning three and drawing one, and they have continued that form into the new campaign, remaining unbeaten after seven matches across all competitions.
They were only able to take a point from their opening league match against rivals Dundee United, twice coming from behind to record a 2-2 draw, before beating Hearts 3-1 with a strong performance in their second league game.
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Team News
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Thody Elie Youan is likely to be the only player unavailable for the hosts due to a leg injury that is likely to keep him out of the side until early September.
Mykola Kukharevych scored his first goal of the season in their 3-1 loss to Celtic last time out, and Hibernian will be relying on the striker to net their first of the league season here.
Dundee are set to be without Charlie Reilly, Clark Robertson and Joe Shaughnessy for this match as they all continue their recovery from injury issues.
Docherty could opt to name the same side that produced a positive performance in the 3-1 win against Hearts in their last league fixture, with Scott Tiffoney playing alongside Simon Murray and Sebastian Palmer-Houlden in attack.
Hibernian possible starting lineup:
Bursik; Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hara, Obita; Campbell, Newell; Boyle, Levitt, Molotnikov; Kukharevych
Dundee possible starting lineup:
McCracken; Ingram, Portales, McGhee, Larkeche; Cameron, Sylla, McCowan; Palmer-Houlden, Murray, Tiffoney
We say: Hibernian 1-3 Dundee
Hibernian have had a dreadful opening to the 2024-25 campaign, while the visitors remain unbeaten across all competitions, suggesting Dundee will secure a comfortable victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
