The four big questions Lee Johnson must answer before Hibs host Hearts in crunch Edinburgh derby

Rarely have Hearts and Hibs both been mired in such turmoil going into an Edinburgh derby with so much to play for.

The hosts are looking not only to arrest a run of four straight defeats but also secure a place in the top six and continue their late, albeit limping charge, for European qualification, and record a first win against their rivals since Boxing Day 2019. The visitors, meanwhile, are still fighting for third but have St Mirren breathing down their necks as well. On top of that the players will be looking to impress any potential new manager who may be watching on as well as interim boss Steven Naismith. So just another quiet afternoon at Easter Road, really.

Hibs boss Lee Johnson is also looking for a first win against Hearts, and to end another losing streak of which there have been too many for Hibs this season. Call it transitional, call it misfortune with injuries, but it really can’t be overstated how badly Hibs need a win in this game.

Should Egan-Riley return to midfield?

Lee Johnson has some key decisions to make ahead of the visit of Hearts

The on-loan Burnley man’s versatility is one of his major selling points but while he can operate at right-back, centre-back, or in defensive midfield, Hibs look like they need him sitting in front of the defence partnering Jimmy Jeggo. Perhaps it is unfair to judge him on a couple of matches in which most of the team struggled but he has looked a lot more comfortable in that deep-lying central position and, whisper it, but his presence there might have been getting the best out of Jeggo as well.

With Jake Doyle-Hayes and Joe Newell available for selection following injury, Johnson is well stocked in the middle, but if Hibs are to win the midfield battle against Hearts then the personnel could be crucial to gaining an upper hand. The 4231 with Egan-Riley and Jeggo at the base of midfield was working well enough so is there an argument for returning to it and adopting an ‘if it ain’t broke’ approach?

Analysing the forward options

Much depends on what formation Johnson opts for but it’s hard to see Élie Youan being dropped regardless, given the forward has that X factor that could be crucial for Hibs not just against Hearts but between now and the end of the season.

CJ Egan-Riley keeps an eye on the ball during the defeat by Dundee United

Mykola Kukharevych came off the bench at Tannadice and scored – the second such time he’s managed that in four games since returning from injury. While his strike against Livingston merely put the gloss on a fine overall performance his thunderous finish against Dundee United, at the same end where he had a goal controversially chalked off during a 1-0 defeat in October, brought Hibs back into the game and were it not for the woodwork and United’s late penalty, might have sparked a revival.

The feeling is that the Ukrainian forward is ready to start matches. But with Kevin Nisbet sitting on nine goals in 12 league matches it would be hard, one would assume, for Johnson to justify relegating the 26-year-old to the bench. Both could in theory start in a two-man attack (more on what that would mean for the formation later) but partly as a result of individual injuries, the players have spent just 112 minutes on the pitch at the same time, across four matches. They haven’t managed any joint goal participation, although it could be argued Nisbet indirectly set up Kukharevych’s goal against Livingston. Of those four games Hibs have won one and lost four, with Kukharevych usually coming off the bench to supplement the attack when Hibs are chasing a goal.

If they were to start together as a strikeforce it would mean Hibs reverting to either a 442 or a back three – but it would also raise questions about where Youan might play. If Johnson decides to stick with one up front, Kukharevych’s all-round game suggests he would be the better option as an old-fashioned target man. But that would then raise questions about where to put Nisbet: on the bench, out wide, or as more of a supporting striker in the hole?

Picking a defence

Can Lee Johnson fit Kevin Nisbet, Mykola Kukharevych, and Élie Youan into the same starting line-up?

Defensively, much depends on the condition of Paul Hanlon. The club captain missed last weekend’s trip to Tannadice with a knee complaint and Johnson is hopeful of having him back for the visit of Hearts. Mikey Devlin was an unused sub against United and it’s hard to imagine him being pitched into the white-hot heat of a derby to make his debut, although that scenario is sometimes when players shine.

At the same time it would be a surprise to see Johnson continue with a central defensive pairing of Egan-Riley and Will Fish following his post-match comments on Sunday, so if Hanlon misses out, and Devlin doesn’t get the nod, there aren’t a lot of options. Marijan Čabraja, Chris Cadden, and Lewis Stevenson have all played as auxiliary centre-backs for Hibs but it also depends on Hanlon’s fitness, and what strategy Johnson selects – but you suspect he will be crossing his fingers that Hanlon makes it.

Delferrière’s chances

Playing as a ten, Allan Delferrière scored a hat-trick in midweek for the Hibs development side against Newcastle United under-23s in a 3-1 victory, saying afterwards that he was ‘working towards’ greater first-team involvement. The versatile Belgian has already been involved in matchday squads this season following his return from a loan spell with FC Edinburgh, and he made his senior debut for the team in May last year.

Allan Delferrière celebrates one of his three goals with Murray Aiken during the 3-1 victory over Newcastle United Under-23s

But with the Capital club needing to focus on achieving first a top-six berth, and then chasing down European qualification, the manager might well decide to stick with his more experienced players. Some of the club’s under-19s have been included in senior squads this season but haven’t really been given a chance to shine – might things be different for Delferrière?