Michael Stewart praises two Hibs stars after impressive displays as duo branded candidates for major milestone

Michael Stewart reckons two Hibs stars could be chapping on the Scotland door for the World Cup after impressive weekend displays.

David Gray’s side defeated Falkirk 3-0 at Easter Road in the Premiership thanks to a Kieron Bowie double and Martin Boyle penalty. Josh Mulligan’s performance has been lauded as he continues a strong start in Leith after joining from Dundee in the summer, with Leeds United and Nottingham Forest linked with the versatile midfielder this week.

Bowie meanwhile has started to return to form after a difficult patch and Stewart has his eyes glancing towards Scotland returning to the World Cup next summer. Amid the Leeds United and Nottingham Forest links around Mulligan alongside Bowie’s double, the former Hearts and Hibs man reckons both should be in Steve Clarke’s thoughts, as he debated the pair with ex-Scotland star Alan Hutton on Premier Sports’ Social Club.

Michael Stewart on two impressive Hibs players

Stewart: “When you look at the World Cup squad being fairly settled, there's still got to be space for some people to make a run at it. The likes of Josh Mulligan, for me, falls right into that category because he's full of energy, drive, enthusiasm and quality. You desperately want to be able to inject that fresh blood into the squad. Mulligan has got a bright future ahead of him and he gets better and better as this season is playing out. I thought he was outstanding.

“I think on the same sort of theme as what I'm talking about with Josh Mulligan (on Kieron Bowie). Youngster, that enthusiasm, that almost innocence of youth as well in terms of they don't have any scar tissues of previous years. I don't just mean in terms of international football. I'm talking about just in their careers as a whole.

“I think for Bowie, clearly there was a drop-off from the first international window till probably about two or three weeks ago. Those two goals that he scored in particular, that's a player that's got confidence back. One is where the ball's barely at his feet and he's bent into the corner brilliantly, then you see the run and the movement. That's absolute top draw. Across the defender, pins him and holds him where he wants him, and then he's able to just guide the ball into the back of the net. I think he should be knocking on the door.”

What makes Josh Mulligan so effective at Hibs?

Hutton added: “Mulligan is so powerful as well. When he picks up the ball, he just goes. I know there'll be a team that were looking at him in the summer and they'll be very disappointed that eventually they didn't get him because when you see the performances that he's putting in, he's playing at a level now. Fair play.

“I think it was important for Hibs to put on a good performance, which I thought they did, against a team that are going really well at this moment in time after back-to-back defeats before this game. They pressed them high, they went up against them, and it caused Falkirk to make mistakes.

“Bowie on the scoresheet getting two, I mean, that's a lovely finish. That shows confidence for me. His instincts are there as a striker, gets another goal .So I thought it was a really important game for them.”