Hearts vs Hibernian: Who will come out on top in the Edinburgh derby? | Football News

Ahead of the 333rd Edinburgh derby, Sky Sports reporter Luke Shanley looks at who could come out on top when Hearts take on Hibernian at Tynecastle Park…

Craig Gordon is absent

It would be wrong to start this preview to the first Edinburgh Derby of 2023 without wishing Hearts goalkeeper and captain Craig Gordon the best as he recovers from the double break he sustained in the Christmas draw against Dundee United. The Scotland international turned 40 at Hogmanay and will be looking to make his 23rd appearance in the fixture, hopefully something to come next season.

In the meantime, Hearts replaced Gordon with former St. Ati have had injuries to contend with this season, of course every team will say the same, but with Europa League group stage football added to the mix, the squad has been put into action.

Two wins from the Latvians RFS earned the club prize money, but they found Fiorentina and Istanbul Basaksehir a step up in class. The worry for Robbie Neilson ahead of his involvement in Europe will be the potential impact on league form. However, in 2023, Hearts finished third, three points ahead of Aberdeen who had played more games. It will give Hearts confidence that another third place finish is on the cards especially as Neilson will feel there are other teams this year.

Can Shankland beat the 31-year-old record?

When Lawrence Shankland joined Hearts, everyone knew he was signing a proven goalscorer, but with 16 goals, he looked certain to become the first Hearts player to score 20+ goals in a season for the first time since 1992. Club legend and leader all-time goalscorer John Robertson was the man who did it 31 years ago.

Robertson also became the record goalscorer in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian with 27 to his name, making it only 26 to go to Shankland after his goal at Easter Road in August if he is to equal another landmark in the future.

Fresh from the win against St Johnstone on Saturday, Barrie McKay will also be a threat to the Hibernian defense on Saturday, while Robert Snodgrass will add his vast experience in England and at international level with his first taste of the Edinburgh derby.

Hearts haven’t been perfect this season and losing Gordon is a big blow, but they will be content with where they are and the progress they’ve made in 2022.

Recruitment problems at Hibs?

They can not be said throughout the city. When I wrote a piece looking ahead to the first Edinburgh Derby of the season back in August, I highlighted the recruitment and how important that will be.

Any new manager wants his own players to play his own style and Lee Johnson discussed the process with me in July when he asked how recruitment works at the club. “We get the budget from the owner, the CEO controls the budget along with me and Ian Gordon (head of recruiting and son of owner Ron Gordon),” he said.

“All player IDs and final words come from me, but they have to fit the club’s financial parameters. There’s a lot of good work here, the recruitment team is great.”

Of those who started against Celtic on Wednesday, David Marshall and Elie Youan were the only summer signings to start the game. Another start came at the club when Jack Ross and Shaun Maloney took charge. This will show signs of summer taking time to adapt or not enough.

Marijan Cabraja seems to have started quite steadily but has been struggling recently and no doubt the death of his father in August has been very difficult to deal with. Midfielder Nohan Kenneh could not hold down a starting role on a regular basis. Jair Tavares, signed from Benfica B, last started against Livingston in matchday three. Meanwhile, Aberdeen signed Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes from the same club for more success.

Momodou Bojang’s loan from Gambia’s Rainbow FC is set to end early after a goalless spell and struggle to adapt. Harry McKirdy has yet to contribute either.

Others have been sent on loan and seem to have had no effect on their return. Aiden McGeady was injured early in the season, and it remains to be seen if he still has the magic he often showed with Celtic.

After Wednesday’s defeat to Celtic, Johnson looked ahead to 2023 and said: “We need transfer windows because we need to bring in players who suit my style of play. who are different managers and philosophies. It’s important that we get the right one and it’s not always right that I to be honest, but there is something we would like to add.

So, Johnson either brought a can for recruiting given the July statement or took one for the recruiting team.

Is the answer closer to home?

The recruitment is questionable, with many players signing in 2022 and the strategy not working as expected. A bloated squad that will count the club money. This is a squad and wage bill that needs to be reduced. Hibernian don’t need project players. It’s good to see clubs that are willing to explore different markets to try and unearth gems, but they rarely come out and the club can’t continue to take punts.

Maybe he should look closer to home. They have a youth team that won the Scottish League last season and have qualified for the UEFA Youth League play-offs where they will play Borussia Dortmund at Easter Road in February.

This is certainly dangerous for young players and may not help managers who need to win games, but there has to be a way, something Josh Doig has shown can happen at the club. He currently plays in Serie A with Hellas Verona and earned a good transfer fee.

Who can inspire Hibs at Tynecastle?

Martin Boyle’s return was met with delight among the fans and his immediate impact in August against Hearts, scoring an injury-time equalizer on his second debut, showed what Hibernian had lost while Boyle was in Saudi Arabia. The injury, which ruled him out of the World Cup with Australia, will see him on the sidelines until the start of next season, which is a blow.

Marshall has been club captain and his experience is valuable. He proved in the last meeting with Hearts that he can save up top and saved two Livingston penalties at Christmas. Ukrainian loanee Mykola Kukharevych has potential but is still raw, there is also a player in Elie Youan but he needs to improve his decision making.

Let’s be fair, players need time to adapt when moving to a new club and country. Time is a manager that hasn’t shown up recently. Reaching the League Cup final could not save Jack Ross his job and Shaun Maloney only four months.

Johnson could only be appointed in the summer but his form has not helped him with just two wins in 10 games. He only had to ask his predecessor what the implications of losing two Edinburgh derbies in the same month would be. The two clubs meet again in the Scottish Cup on January 22nd at Easter Road. So the victory in this match is very important for those who are in the place and place.

The return of Kevin Nisbet in attack is certainly a boost. His goals against Rangers and Livingston showed he is sharp and still has a sharp eye in the box after a knee injury that has kept him out since February. The responsibility and burden will be on him to get the score.

New Year’s Day marks the 50th anniversary of one of Hibernian’s greatest games in their history.

When January 1, 1973 saw Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath take Britain into the European Economic Community, at Tynecastle Park, Eddie Turnbull’s team made the date a landmark on the football field. Hibernian beat Hearts 7-0 to take them to the top of the Scottish First Division just three weeks after winning the League Cup for the first time. While Turnbull can boast players like Pat Stanton, Alex Edwards, John Blackley and John Brownlie to name but a few, Lee Johnson cannot call upon that quality. An odd-goal win would be enough to start 2023 with a bang.

Hearts are unbeaten in their last seven meetings and go into this one better than their city rivals. The home fans will be hoping for another win.

With traditional New Year’s celebrations returning to Edinburgh this year following the Covid-19 pandemic, the outcome of one of the world’s oldest derbies will determine which side of the city will ring in the New Year.