Key Takeaways
- Hearts lead Rangers by one point and Celtic by three with only five matches left.
- Coach Derek McInnes fears Sunday’s visit to Hibs may be their trickiest remaining fixture.
- Versatile defender Oisín McEntee is ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring tear.
Derek McInnes has warned his Hearts side to expect their most difficult assignment yet when they cross Edinburgh to face Hibs this weekend in the final derby of the Scottish Premiership campaign.
The Jambos sit on top of the table with 31 matches played, one point clear of Rangers and three ahead of Celtic. Five games remain, starting with the short trip to Easter Road on Sunday, broadcast live on Sky Sports from 3:30 pm.
“It could easily be our hardest match for many reasons,” McInnes told Sky Sports News. “It’s away, it’s a derby, and the atmosphere will be fierce. Hibs have extra motivation because they want to stop us.”
Hearts have lost only once in the capital this term, but that defeat came in December on the same ground. McInnes remembers the lesson well. “We started poorly last time and paid for it. We must be switched on for the full 90 minutes.”
The squad will have to cope without Irish utility man Oisín McEntee, who tore a hamstring against Motherwell and will play no further part this season. Fellow defender Tomas Magnusson is also unavailable with a thigh problem, while left-back Harry Milne faces a late fitness test.
“Losing Oisín is a big blow,” admitted McInnes. “He has filled three different roles for us. We’ll monitor Harry day by day and decide if he can face Hibs or wait for the Rangers match.”
Despite the setbacks, the manager praised his players for taking the club to the brink of a first league crown since 1960. “The split brings the best teams together and every club has something to fight for. We’re ready for the challenge.”