Shaun Maloney discusses absence of Hibs pair from Dundee United win
Newell sat out the midweek win against Aberdeen at Easter Road with a dead leg, and was missing for the trip to the City of Discovery while McGinn played the full 90 minutes against the Dons but was a surprise omission from the team at the weekend.
However, Maloney sought to play down any fears that Hibs could be without the influential pair for a long period of time. Both players have captained the team this season and McGinn’s absence forced a rethink in defence with Lewis Stevenson playing as an auxiliary central defender in a back three.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAsked about the condition of McGinn and Newell the Hibs boss said: “Just injuries, yeah. Paul had something against Aberdeen and did amazing to play through the full 90 but unfortunately wasn’t available [for the United game].”
Melker Hallberg also returned to the matchday squad for the first time this season, although the Swede remained an unused substitute in Dundee. The versatile 26-year-old hasn’t made a competitive appearance for the Capital club since the Scottish Cup final defeat by St Johnstone although he was involved in the club’s pre-season matches.
Hallberg’s inclusion combined with Maloney’s desire to run the rule over the whole playing squad could see the former Vejle man get a chance to impress next month as he steps up his return from injury.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.