Hibs face a narrow but important selection picture as the derby arrives, with the latest team updates showing one side missing defenders while the other weighs up a return and several absences. For hibs, the immediate question is not only who is available, but how each absence reshapes a match that already carries season-defining weight.
What happens when the team news is this thin?
Hibs defender Grant Hanley is suspended, while Rudi Molotnikov, Josh Mulligan and Munashe Garananga remain unavailable. Mulligan and Molotnikov are both out with ankle injuries, and Garananga is sidelined by a hamstring problem. That leaves Hibs with limited flexibility in a fixture where control, discipline and small margins can matter more than any broader narrative.
On the Hearts side, Marc Leonard is back from suspension and Harry Milne has a chance of being involved after three games out with a calf issue. Even so, Hearts still have a sizeable injury list. Oisin McEntee has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, while Tomas Magnusson is also finished for the campaign because of a thigh issue. Calem Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Craig Gordon all remain out.
What If the absences shape the derby more than the form guide?
The main lesson from this team news is that availability may matter as much as momentum. Hearts go into the derby away to Hibs with a one-point lead over Rangers, which makes every selection issue more sensitive. McEntee had been a strong part of Hearts’ first season in Edinburgh, with three goals in 32 appearances, but his absence removes a player who had been central to their campaign.
There is also a different kind of uncertainty around Cammy Devlin. Derek McInnes said Devlin has picked up a “wee strain” and hoped he could be available for next week. That puts a spotlight on how quickly an injury timeline can shift in a busy stretch of the season, especially when a derby and a follow-up league fixture are separated by little room for recovery.
| Side | Key update | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Hibs | Grant Hanley suspended; Molotnikov, Mulligan and Garananga out | Reduced defensive and squad depth |
| Hearts | Leonard returns; Milne may be involved | Some relief in selection options |
| Hearts | McEntee, Magnusson, Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Gordon out | Persistent injury pressure on balance and continuity |
| Hearts | Devlin missing with a lower-leg issue | Short-term adjustment needed in midfield |
What If one return changes the balance?
Marc Leonard’s return gives Hearts at least one positive in a stretched squad, and Milne’s possible involvement adds another route to stability if he proves fit enough. But the broader picture still points to a team managing multiple gaps while trying to maintain rhythm. That makes the derby less about headline names and more about adaptation.
For Hibs, the challenge is equally clear: use the home setting to press any advantage created by Hearts’ injuries, while avoiding the kind of disruption that a suspension can bring. For Hearts, the task is to stay composed through the missing bodies and rely on the structure that has kept them at the top end of the table.
What happens when the season reaches this stage?
At this point in the season, the injury list is not just a medical update. It is a competitive variable that can alter game plans, shape substitutions and affect confidence. The most likely outcome is a derby decided by depth, not just quality, with both teams forced to adjust quickly to what they can and cannot use.
The best case for either side is simple: the available players settle the match early and the absences stay in the background. The most challenging scenario is one where the missing names keep piling pressure on the shape of the game, forcing managers into compromises before the first-half pattern is even clear. For readers watching the wider run-in, the key point is that hibs are entering a fixture where availability may be as influential as tactics, and hibs could still define how the next stage of the season feels.
