Hibs without midfield duo for clash against Celtic

Hibs manager Neil Lennon will be forced into another midfield tweak for next Saturday's showdown with Celtic as both Scott Allan and Marvin Bartley are out.

Marvin Bartley is suspended for next Saturday's match

Allan, who has started the Easter Road side’s last eight matches since arriving on loan at the end of January, is not allowed to face his parent club.

Bartley has started only four games this calendar year but Lennon won’t have the option of bringing the Englishman back into the team to replace Allan as he is suspended after picking up his sixth league booking of the season in the 2-0 win over Partick Thistle a fortnight ago. Hibs have been unable to field a settled midfield in recent matches, with Dylan McGeouch missing the 1-1 draw at St Johnstone through injury a month ago and John McGinn sitting out the subsequent two games at home to Partick and Hamilton through suspension.

The absence of both Allan and Bartley next weekend increases the chances of fit-again Lithuanian internationalist Vykintas Slivka and versatile veteran Steven Whittaker being deployed in central midfield against 
Celtic, who can secure the Premiership title if they win at Easter Road.