Rangers v Hibs: TV channel; kick-off time; team news; form guide; odds

Hibs restart their cinch Premiership campaign away to Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday. Here is all you need to know:

Match details

Who: Rangers v Hibernian. What: cinch Scottish Premiership. Where: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. When: Thursday, December 15. Kick-off 8pm. Referee: Nick Walsh. Assistants: David Roome and Dougie Potter. Fourth official: Chris Graham. VAR: Alan Muir. AVAR: Gary Hilland

TV and ticket info

Rangers host Hibs at Ibrox on Thursday

The match is the first of six live Sky Sports fixtures to be shown over the festive period – all of which feature either Celtic or Rangers away from home. Viewers can watch on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Ultra HD, with coverage beginning at 7pm. International subscribers will be able to watch the match live on Hibs TV. The Hibs ticket allocation is sold out.

Team news

Ryan Porteous will start for Hibs, despite turning down a new contract and the speculation linking him with a move to Rangers. Hibs talisman Martin Boyle is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, but winger Aiden McGeady, striker Kevin Nisbet and midfielder Kyle Magennis are all in contention after working their way back to fitness during the World Cup break. All three got minutes under their belts in friendlies against Middlesbrough and Raith Rovers. Ukrainian striker Mykola Kukharevych missed both of those friendlies with injuries and it remains to be seen whether or not he is ready to start. Jake Doyle-Hayes is still out with an ankle injury. Lewis Miller and Momodou Bojang are also doubtful.

It has been suggested that Rangers youngsters Leon King and Adam Devine are set to start in Michael Beale’s first Premiership match in charge at Ibrox as the new manager prepares to put his faith in youth. Devine is likely to deputise at left-back for Borna Barisic, who is still at the World Cup with Croatia. King could play at centre-back instead of Connor Goldson, who has only recently returned to training after a knee injury. Ridvan Yilmaz is recovering from injury.

Form guide

Hibs went into the World Cup winter break in poor form, with five defeats in six games. That leaves Johnson’s men down in eighth place in the table and points will be hard to come by in the games coming up over the festive period. Following the trip to to Ibrox, in-form Livingston visit Easter Road on Christmas Eve, Celtic arrive December 28 and Hibs then travel to Tynecastle to play Hearts on January 2, 2023.

Rangers also went into the break in poor form, prompting the Ibrox board to sack manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst and instal Michael Beale in his place. Rangers won only one of four games in November, edging out Hearts 1-0 at Ibrox. They lost 3-1 at home to Ajax in their final Champions League game, lost at St Johnstone and drew away to St Mirren.

Head-to-head

Hibs have lost on seven consecutive visits to Ibrox. The last time they avoided defeat was on Boxing Day 2018, when Darren McGregor scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Hibs also came from behind twice to draw 2-2 in a dramatic encounter at Easter Road in August when the teams last met, Martin Boyle and Josh Campbell on target as Rangers finished the match with nine men. The last Hibs win at Ibrox was in February 2018 when John McGinn and Jamie Maclaren secured a 2-1 success. Hibs did the double in Glasgow that season, Simon Murray, a James Tavernier own goal and a Vykintas Slivka earning a 3-2 victory in August 2017.

Manager thoughts

Hibs manager Lee Johnson said: “This serves as an opportunity for us. There’s three points on offer but also an opportunity for individuals to show really that the form is permanent if you like, but the class is permanent.”

Bookies’ odds

Rangers 3/10; Draw 9/2; Hibs 17/2, with McBookie.

Another thing

Rangers boss Michael Beale will be taking charge of his first competitive game as Ibrox boss. After defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in a friendly at Ibrox on Saturday, Rangers fans were waxing lyrical about the immediate changes the new boss has introduced. The former QPR boss, who was previous part of Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff at Ibrox, will be under pressure to close the gap on Celtic, who are nine points clear at the top of the table.