Hibs Exclusive: Injury blow as starting striker sidelined - but will Swansea loanee Myko be fit for Hearts?

Hibs will be without starting centre forward Myko Kuharevich for at least a couple of weeks - but hope to have him fit to face Hearts in Gorgie on Boxing Day. The Swansea loanee is awaiting results of a scan on the groin injury sustained in Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Celtic Park.

Kuharevich has become a central figure since returning for a second loan spell at Hibs late in the summer transfer window, missing just one of the last 17 games and making 14 starts during that run. But he limped out of action after twice going one-on-one with Hoops keeper Kasper Schmeichel as Hibs went toe-to-toe with the champions at the weekend.

Speaking earlier today, Gray revealed: “We’ve sent Myko for a scan, so just waiting on the results of that. There's definitely something there, which is a blow, but hopefully it's just a couple of weeks rather than months.”

Hibs play Ross County at Easter Road on Saturday and then have a full week before travelling to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen on December 21. They’ve then got a short turnaround before the second Edinburgh derby of the season on December 26 - exactly five years on from their most recent win at Tynecastle.

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Expressing optimism that Kuharevich could be fit to face Hearts, Gray said: “I think it's more likely to just be a couple of weeks. But we'll just wait and see where that is. I think the likelihood of it will just be two weeks, he's improving every day on it, which is a positive.

“So, definitely something there, which is a blow, but hopefully it's just weeks rather than months. Maybe just the two games? Two, potentially three at most, but we'll just have to wait and see. Until we know the full extent of it, we can’t really tell much more.”