Aiming to strengthen their standing in the fight for a top-half place in the Scottish Premiership table ahead of the split of the league next month, Hibernian will travel to the Global Energy Stadium to take on Ross County on Wednesday.
With five games to play before the split, the visitors currently sit sixth thanks to a four-match unbeaten streak, while their hosts find themselves 11th and four points adrift of automatic safety.
Match preview
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Ross County return to action on Wednesday with the aim of improving their survival bid in the Scottish Premiership, having last played at the beginning of March in the reverse fixture away at Hibernian and fallen short.
After 28 games so far this term, the Staggies have managed just 23 points courtesy of five wins alongside eight draws and 15 defeats, with the most recent of their triumphs coming at home to basement side Livingston in late February, ending a 10-match winless streak by the barest of margins in interim boss Don Cowie's third game at the helm.
Josh Sims netted the decisive goal in the 92nd minute of that contest to wrap up a crucial three-point haul, and they would follow that up with a creditable share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at home to fourth-placed St Mirren, albeit in disappointing fashion as Toyosi Olusanya levelled for the visitors four minutes from time after the Staggies led from the 11th minute through Jordan White.
Those results meant that Cowie's men went into a trip to Hibernian at the start of March with a four-point gap up to Aberdeen in 10th spot, but they were unable to narrow that at Easter Road, leaving empty-handed as two goals in the final half-hour saw the Edinburgh outfit prevail in a 2-0 triumph.
Now remaining in the relegation playoff place as a result, four points adrift of safety with five games to play before the division's split and the relegation group looming, Ross County will be desperate to avenge the recent defeat to their visitors on Wednesday and bounce back with a home victory to move closer to 10th spot.
The away side, meanwhile, will set out to bounce back from a weekend Scottish Cup defeat and make it two league wins over Ross County this month in their bid to establish themselves in the top six in the coming weeks.
Following a disappointing start to the Scottish Premiership campaign, the Edinburgh outfit saw their hopes of a Championship group place hanging in the balance, as they sat in the bottom half of the division on just 26 points from 24 matches of the 33-game regular season.
Nick Montgomery's side appear to have turned a corner since, though, moving into sixth spot with a four-match unbeaten streak in the top flight, firstly beating Dundee 2-1 on home turf between draws with Aberdeen and third-placed rivals Hearts, before welcoming the Staggies to Easter Road in their latest league outing at the start of the month and prevailing in a 2-0 triumph thanks to second-half goals from Myziane Maolida and Dylan Levitt.
Unlike Wednesday's hosts, the Hibees were in action over the weekend, meeting Rangers on home turf in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, and they now travel to the Global Energy Stadium on the back of a 2-0 defeat and a subsequent exit from the competition, with John Lundstram and Fabio Silva netting the visitors' goals and Jordan Obita and Nathan Moriah-Welsh sent off in a five-minute spell in the second half.
With their full focus now on their league bid, having moved sixth but with just a one-point lead over Dundee and a two-point lead over Motherwell with five regular season games left to play, Hibernian will set out to return to winning ways on Wednesday and increase their cushion in the fight for Championship group places.
Team News
Ross County continue to contend with an extensive injury list heading into Wednesday's game, with Yan Dhanda, Ross Calachan, Scott Allardice, Will Nightingale, Connor Randall and Dylan Smith all remaining confined to the treatment room, while top scorer Simon Murray also missed their trip to Hibernian last time out.
If he does not return in time to feature on Wednesday, Eamonn Brophy and Jordan White will hope to again lead the line, although Josh Sims will fight to come into the attack from the outset, while Max Sheaf, Victor Loturi and Eli King should continue in a midfield trio in Dhanda's absence.
Former Manchester United man Cameron Borthwick-Jackson will bid to earn a starting spot in defence, having been an unused substitute in their last five Premiership outings, while Michee Efete and Ryan Leak will again join captain Jack Baldwin in the centre.
Hibernian are dealing with several selection concerns heading into Wednesday's meeting, with Luke Amos, Josh Campbell and Jake Doyle-Hayes sidelined by long-term injuries, while Lewis Miller is unlikely to return in time to feature and Dylan Vente is a doubt due to a knock.
Midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh will serve a suspension after his red card against Rangers last time out, although Jordan Obita is available with his suspension only applying to the Scottish Cup.
Dylan Levitt should come into the midfield in Moriah-Welsh's absence, while Emiliano Marcondes should again spearhead the attack in their 4-2-3-1 shape with Elie Youan also pushing to earn a starting berth.
Ross County possible starting lineup:
Wickens; Brown, Efete, Baldwin, Leak, Borthwick-Jackson; Sheaf, Loturi, King; Brophy, White
Hibernian possible starting lineup:
Marshall; Cadden, Fish, Bushiri, Obita; Newell, Levitt; Boyle, Youan, Maolida; Marcondes
We say: Ross County 0-2 Hibernian
While Hibernian will be wounded from a hard-fought and unsuccessful cup tie at the weekend, with their hosts having more of a rest, Montgomery's men have certainly improved in the Scottish Premiership in recent weeks and should still have the quality to get over the line at the Global Energy Stadium against a struggling Staggies team.
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Sam Varley
