Hibs v St Johnstone line-ups: Maclaren returns, Hanlon misses out, midfield diamond?

Neil Lennon makes three changes to his Hibs side which fought-out a goalless draw with Hearts at Tynecastle midweek as Darren McGregor, Vykintas Slivka and Flo Kamberi all dropping out.

Jamie Maclaren returns to the Hibs starting XI.

Daryl Horgan and Emerson Hyndman are recalled to the side as Jamie Maclaren makes his first start since 1 September.

Both McGregor and Slivka drop to the bench while Kamberi is suspended following his second-half red card in the Edinburgh derby. There is still no place in the squad for Paul Hanlon or Thomas Agyepong.

It suggests Lennon has reverted to the midfield diamond which he switched to during the 4-2 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead.

Mark Milligan and Efe Ambrose are the likely centre-back partnership with Marvin Bartley offering protection at the base of the midfield.

Martin Boyle will join Maclaren up front with Horgan playing behind the duo. Hyndman and Stevie Mallan will acts as the midfield shuttlers.

Former Hibs midfielder David Wotherspoon drops out of the St Johnstone team which defeated Livingston 1-0 during the week.

He is one of three changes made by Tommy Wright as ex-Hearts defender Liam Gordon and Murray Davidson also miss out. The latter through illness, while Wotherspoon and Gordon are on the bench.

In come another former Hearts player Ross Callachan, teenager Tristan Nydam, who is handed his first Saints start, and Drey Wright as Tommy Wright returns to a back four having switched to three at the back in the win against Livi, which made it three successes in a row.

Hibs: Bogdan; Whittaker, Ambrose, Milligan, Stevenson; Bartley, Hyndman, Mallan, Horgan; Boyle, Maclaren. Subs: Marciano, Slivka, Mavrias, McGregor, Shaw, Porteous, Gullan.

St Johnstone: Clark; Foster, Shaughnessy, Kerr, Tanser; Callachan, Craig, Nydam; Kennedy, Wright, Watt. Subs: Hurst, Kane, Wotherspoon, Swanson, McMillan, McCann, Gordon.