First Team

MATCH PREVIEW | HIBERNIAN (H)

6th April 2023

DUNDEE UNITED VS HIBERNIAN
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
12 NOON SUNDAY 9TH APRIL
TANNADICE PARK

Sunday lunchtime action is coming to the City of Discovery as we host Hibernian in the cinch Premiership, live on Sky Sports.

Brush up on everything you need to know about this weekend's opposition.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets!
Hibernian's Story of the Season

Despite an inconsistent first half of the season, Hibs occupy the final spot in the top six and are now just five points behind Edinburgh rivals Heart of Midlothian as both sides joust for a place in European competition alongside Aberdeen and St Mirren.

However, before Lee Johnson's side can set their sights firmly on a continental jaunt, they must secure their place in the top half of the table. And with seventh-placed Livingston hot on the heels of the Leith outfit, that race also looks set to go to the wire.

Former Sunderland boss Johnson came under considerable pressure during the winter months, after a run of two wins in nine league matches left Hibs toiling at the wrong end of the table.

Luckily, the 41-year-old managed to arrest the slump before the situation was beyond repair.

The return of Kevin Nisbet from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury has propelled the Hibees up the table, with the Scotland international bagging a phenomenal eight goals in ten cinch Premiership matches since December.

Nisbet looked set to join English Championship side Millwall in the January window after a last-minute swoop was accepted by the Easter Road outfit, but a 'change of heart' saw the talisman decide his immediate future lay in the capital.

No side in the division has drawn fewer games than Hibernian, with just four from 30 league matches.

Tale of the Tape

United have clashed with Sunday's opposition on two occasions already during 2022/23, and have remained unbeaten.

In the first meeting, an early solo effort from Australian full-back Aziz Behich proved to be the winner at Tannadice back in October, then in the reverse fixture, the aforementioned Nisbet struck deep into stoppage time to deny United a famous win in Leith after first-half goals from Glenn Middleton and Ian Harkes had given the Terrors the upper hand.

Prior to this season's triumph, our last win over the Hibees at Tannadice came during the festive period in 2016. Cammy Bell thwarted Martin Boyle's second-half spot-kick, then Tony Andreu converted from 12 yards at the other end to seal three points in the race for the Championship title.

56 players have pulled on both the tangerine of United and the green of Hibernian. In our current squad, both Glenn Middleton and Steven Fletcher have enjoyed spells with the Edinburgh side. The latter broke through the ranks at Hibs, making his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2004. 

In his time in the capital, Fletcher would make 160 appearances, scoring 43 goals including two in the 2007 League Cup Final against Kilmarnock. The target man also scooped the Scottish Football Writers Young Player of the Season on two occasions as a Hibs player.

Talking Tactics

Johnson has opted for a 4-2-3-1 in 43% of Hibs' matches this season. Outside of the Old Firm, no team in the league enjoys more ball possession throughout a typical 90 minutes, with an average of 55% and almost 12,000 passes racked up in 30 games.

According to WhoScored.com, Hibs are yet to concede a goal from a counter attack. They do however seem susceptible to conceding chances during the second phase of combating Route One balls as their defensive line aggressively steps out.

Set-piece scenarios were the Achilles Heel in Hibs' last outing as all three of Motherwell's goals came from dead-balls - two direct free-kicks and a penalty which David Marshall got a strong hand to but failed to keep out of the net.

Ellie Youan looks set to return to action this weekend following a suspension, supporting Nisbet from the left, and Joe Newell, effective when deployed in defensive midfield, is back to full fitness after battling an ankle injury.

Memorable Matchup 

United kicked off their 2012/13 campaign in style as they dispatched Hibernian with conviction on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Tannadice.

Johnny Russell broke the deadlock with a stunning touch and volley inside three minutes, beating Ben Williams between the sticks with ease.

After the interval, a cross-cum-shot from Gary Mackay-Steven met the head of opportunist frontman Jon Daly who nodded into the unguarded net, then debutant Michael Gardyne capped off a fine victory as he kept his composure to add number three in stoppage time after being sent clean through on goal by John Rankin.

Watch the highlights from that clash below!

One To Watch

Elie Youan's first season in Scottish football has begun to gather momentum of late, with the Frenchman now boasting a respectable six goals to accompany his six assists.

The most important of those strikes came in Paisley when he danced inside a despairing St Mirren defender and cracked a tremendous finish home off the post to secure a 1-0 victory in the race for the top six.

Youan, on loan from Swiss side FC St. Gallen with an option to buy in the summer, is a pacy and direct winger who is also capable of playing through the middle.

Currently, he averages more than six dribbles per match and has taken over 110 touches in the opposition's penalty area in his 28 appearances.

The 23-year-old has represented France at various youth levels and is also eligible to play for Ivory Coast.

Coverage

Sunday's match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event, with the broadcaster's coverage beginning from 11am.

Alternatively, those outside the UK can watch the game live on DUTV, or domestic subscribers can tune in to live audio from Tannadice.

CLICK HERE for Sunday's match coverage on DUTV!
CLICK HERE to buy tickets!
Share This:

Related News