Hibs learn top-six fixtures as final five games are decided - with big call made on Edinburgh derby

Hibs have learned the order of their final five cinch Premiership fixtures as Lee Johnson aims to take the club into European competition during his first season at the helm.

Lewis Stevenson’s equaliser against St Johnstone, coupled with results elsewhere on Saturday, meant the Easter Road side finished in the upper half of the table alongside Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, and St Mirren. As usual there was a mad dash to try to predict which home games the Hibees might have, and where they might be visiting while discussions with the police and Sky Sports held up publication of the remaining fixtures.

However, the SPFL has released matches 34-38, with Hibs at home to St Mirren on Saturday May 6 with a 3pm kick-off as their first post-split game. They then face a trip to Aberdeen, again at 3pm, on Saturday May 13. Hibs then host Rangers live on Sky Sports on Sunday May 21 with a 12noon kick-off, before playing Celtic at Easter Road on Wednesday May 24 with a 7.45pm kick-off.

They then round off their post-split fixtures on Saturday May 27 by making the short trip across the city to face rivals Hearts. The final Edinburgh derby has been fixed for a 12.30pm kick-off and depending on how other matches pan out, could be instrumental in deciding the European places.

A general view of Hibs' Easter Road stadium

Speaking after Saturday’s match Johnson said: “I feel like it's mission one accomplished in terms of we're now competing for a European place. That's brilliant. We've had a rough time of it. We haven't had a clean run at it but we've battled through. Over the course of 33 games, we're currently the fifth best team in the league and we give ourselves a chance to stay fifth and potentially go higher. Everything's still to play for, which is great.”

Hibs last qualified for Europe at the end of the 2020/21 season, when Jack Ross led the side to a first third-place finish in 15 years. The Capital club eliminated FC Santa Coloma of Andorra in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League before a respectable 1-1 draw at home with HNK Rijeka was followed by a 4-1 reversal in Croatia, with the club’s European journey ending in mid-August.