Hibs manager Jack Ross outlines injury situation as he admits several players are doubts for St Johnstone encounter

Jack Ross will have to wait until later in the week to see how many of his first team players will be forced to sit out the match against Betfred Cup winners St Johnstone on Saturday.

Josh Doig is not the only Hibs player facing a race against time to be fit for the trip to St Johnstone on Saturday. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Getting to the business end of the season, the Hibs manager revealed that several of his players are nursing knocks and while some may be able to play through the minor injuries and niggles, for others, the game may come too soon.

Last week a number of injury doubts were overcome, with only young Josh Doig failing a late fitness test ahead of the loss to Motherwell after picking up an impact injury against Hamilton the previous week.

With his side missing the wingback’s energy and drive against Graham Alexander’s men, the Easter Road manager had hoped to have the 18-year-old defender back for the trip to Perth as the Leith outfit attempt to return to winning ways and maintain their advantage in the chase for a third place Premiership finish. But much will depend on when he is able to rejoin the training group. And, he is not the only doubt.

As they face up to the team who ousted them from the cup contest en route to lifting the trophy, there is further uncertainty, with a number of players absent from training on Monday and Tuesday.

“At this stage of the season players all have some aches or niggles but they want to carry on so we will see who is able to do that,” explained Ross, who now has a potential Scottish Cup run to eke out of his players as well. “Josh hasn’t trained yet this week and that is the case for some others as well, so we are trying to manage them and give them the best chance of being involved.

“There were a couple of them who played last week while carrying wee knocks but that is normal for this time in the season. Some players want to just carry on, some others aren’t able to.

“At this stage we could be missing three or four, or we could be at full strength.”

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