New Hibs goal threat MUST have Hearts worried - so who does Gray pick for his precision strike on Tynecastle?

Where on earth has this firepower been hiding? With 12 goals in their past five games, a run of fixtures that includes drawing a blank at Celtic Park, Hibs are certainly making up for lost time and missed opportunities.

As they prepare to march on Tynecastle for a Boxing Day derby positively crackling with its usual high voltage charge, can David Gray’s electrifying attacking force deliver the necessary lightning strikes to defeat Hearts? In a surprising twist, during this season when Hibs have been so short of forwards for a variety of reasons, Gray at least has options. Multiple options.

Martin Boyle, Elie Youan and Nicky Cadden all found the net in Saturday’s stunning win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Josh Campbell looks very dangerous in that No. 10 role behind the front two.

Boyle tucks away the killer third - a goal to go with his two assists - against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday. | SNS Group

Yet Dwight Gayle and Junior Hoilett, who had combined for the vital equaliser against Ross County at Easter Road seven days earlier, sparking a comeback that avoided a lot of awkward boardroom discussions, will be fully rested after spending Saturday doing nothing more strenuous than the odd warm-up as unused subs. Being kept in reserve for Thursday’s incursion into enemy territory?

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With Mykola Kuharevich battling to recover from a groin injury, and only long-term injury victim Kieron Bowie definitively ruled out, there are decisions to be made. The proverbial “nice headache” for a gaffer who saw Boyle and Youan combine to great effect as a strike pairing in the Granite City.

With the switch to a 3-4-1-2 providing an obvious scoring catalyst, the change in shape coinciding with that 3-3 home draw against Aberdeen responsible for the current revival, Hibs have created 19 big chances in a handful of tough contests against opponents ranging from the elite to the merely effective. Ahead of a game made for someone to become a goal hero, how would you shape the visiting attack? Let’s look at some of the key players.

Elie Youan

What a turnaround it’s been for the Frenchman, who had to be restrained/escorted off the pitch by Jordan Obita in the wake of a 2-1 home loss to St Mirren back at the start of November. Given everything Youan had gone through earlier in the season, from racial abuse on social media to an awkward injury that scuppered his yearning for a big move (and the club’s desire to cash in on their prized asset), his comeback has been remarkable.

What makes it so special is that he’s been playing in his second-choice position, as an impromptu centre forward. And doing very well, scoring in consecutive games for the first time since August of 2023.

Martin Boyle

In keeping with the comeback theme, Boyle’s return to the starting XI – and in a position where he had looked so ineffective for so long – was marked with a bang on Saturday. Is it enough to keep him in the line-up to face Hearts?

Usually much happier out on the wing but deployed alongside Youan in a shape that requires wingbacks in the wide areas, his ability to run the channel between centre-half and full-back was on full display at Pittodrie. One of his two assists came from a delightful dinked cross, while his goal was all anticipation, pace and composure.

Elie Youan and Dwight Gayle may be competing for the same spot - or return as a strike pairing. | SNS Group

Dwight Gayle

So his body may be “breaking down” and he clearly wasn’t up to starting back-to-back games without a full week’s rest and recovery. He’s had his time off, with Gray keeping the veteran former Newcastle striker on the bench for the entire 90 minutes at Aberdeen.

It would be a rare 35-year-old who could boast the same sort of direct pace that gives both Boyle and Youan such an advantage over defenders. So does Gayle’s nous and movement edge him into the starting XI … or restrict him to the role of impact sub?

Mykola Kuharevich

The big man has been battling back from a groin injury sustained late in the first half of the unlucky 3-0 loss to Celtic. He’d missed a couple of outstanding chances before limping off at Celtic Park.

The good news for Gray is that, while Kuharevich looked like pretty much the only forward option a few weeks ago, with Gayle not fully fit, Boyle struggling for both fitness and form, and Youan nowhere near his peak, the Ukrainian being available to face Hearts would feel like an added bonus. Rather than an absolute necessity.

Josh Campbell

Assuming Gray sticks with the same sort of shape used in four of the last five games, with only that trip to Celtic Park necessitating a more practical 5-4-1, he’s got a definite decision to make in the No. 10 role. Campbell, having scored in handsome wins over Motherwell and County as a vitally important substitute, was an all-action nuisance against the Dons. Just what Hibs need at Tynecastle?

Junior Hoilett

It’s a straight choice, in the CAM role, between Campbell and Hoilett. The athleticism and energy of the younger man – or the composure of veteran Canadian international Hoilett.

Both will almost certainly get game time, with one starting and the other coming off the bench. The question for Gray is whether he looks for Hoilett to exert some early control in a game where settling into a rhythm will be crucial – or throws him in when the contest has opened up, providing ample opportunities for a wise old head to identify and punish gaps in the home defence.

Nicky Cadden, goal machine

Whether he’s been playing at left wingback or pushed into midfield, Cadden has been outstanding since establishing himself in the starting XI, with four goals and an assist in the league telling only half the story. He’ll play. And bring his almost manic style to bear in a fixture that might have been made for his skillset.