Preview: Hibernian vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

The two teams meet for the second time this month after the Jam Tarts secured a comprehensive 3-0 Premiership win on home soil on January 2.

Match preview

Since losing the derby against Hearts almost three weeks ago, Hibs have bounced back by accumulating four points from their last two league games against Motherwell and Dundee United.

A Kevin Nisbet hat-trick inspired the Cabbage to a 3-2 away win over Motherwell before Nisbet scored both goals, including an 90th-minute equaliser, to rescue a 2-2 draw at home against Dundee United last weekend.

Lee Johnson's side currently sit sixth in the Premiership table, seven points clear of the drop zone, and they will now shift their focus to the Scottish Cup, a competition they have won three times in their 147-year history.

Hibs beat Hearts 1-0 on home soil in a fifth-round replay en route to lifting the Scottish Cup in 2015-16, and they have since experienced mixed fortunes against their city rivals at Easter Road, winning, drawing and losing three home games each in all competitions.

The Cabbage will be looking to progress to the quarter-final stage of the Scottish Cup for the fifth successive year with a victory on Sunday, but coming out on top could prove challenging against a Hearts outfit who have been in fine form since the World Cup break.

Only Glaswegian giants Celtic and Rangers (16) have accumulated more Premiership points than Hearts (14) since the season resumed in mid-December, with the Jam Tarts heading to Easter Road after winning four of their last five matches.

Robbie Neilson's side followed up a slender 1-0 home victory over St Mirren last Friday with an emphatic 5-0 triumph against Aberdeen in front of their own fans on Wednesday night.

Strikes from Michael Smith, Lawrence Shankland and Josh Ginnelly gave the hosts a commanding lead at half time after Graham Shinnie's own-goal opened the scoring, before Cammy Devlin netted a fifth just after the hour mark to secure their biggest top-flight win since January 2016.

Hearts have now consolidated third place in the Premiership, sitting seven points clear of Livingston in fourth and 11 clear of Hibs, while they are 14 points behind Rangers in second place.

Neilson's men now begin their quest for glory in the Scottish Cup, with the eight-time champions hoping to go all the way and lift the trophy for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign.

The Jam Tarts, who have been losing finalists in the Scottish Cup in three of the last four seasons, will fancy their chances of progressing from the fourth round on Sunday, as they are unbeaten in each of their last eight Edinburgh derby meetings with Hibs.

Hibernian form (all competitions):

L

W

L

L

W

D

Hearts form (all competitions):

D

W

W

D

W

W

Team News

Hibs will be without long-term absentees Martin Boyle and Mykola Kukharevych, while Joe Newell is ruled out through suspension which has been carried over from last season's Scottish Cup.

Johnson is hopeful to have Chris Cadden and Paul Hanlon back in the first-team fold on Sunday after spells out with injury, while Jake Doyle-Hayes is doubtful with a knock and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

In the absence of Newell, Ewan Henderson may start in centre-midfield alongside Kyle Magennis and Josh Campbell, and in-form striker Nisbet could be supported in attack by Aiden McGeady and Elie Youan.

As for Hearts, Liam Boyce, Beni Baningime (both ACL) Craig Gordon (broken leg), Gary Mackay-Steven (foot), Craig Halkett (knee) and Peter Haring (concussion) are all sidelined.

Toby Sibbick should be fit to feature on Sunday after coming off with cramp against Aberdeen, while Stephen Kingsley will be pushing to start his first game since mid-December after a spell out with concussion.

Top scorer Shankland - who has netted 19 goals in all competitions so far this season, 14 more than any of his teammates - is set to be joined in attack by Ginnelly and Barrie McKay.

Hibernian possible starting lineup:

Marshall; Cadden, Porteous, Bushiri, Stevenson; Campbell, Henderson, Magennis; McGeady, Nisbet, Youan

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Clark; Hill, Sibbick, Rowles; Smith, Devlin, Snodgrass, Cochrane; McKay; Ginnelly, Shankland

We say: Hibernian 1-2 Hearts

Hearts head into Sunday's Edinburgh derby as favourites considering their strong run of form and recent head-to-head record against rivals Hibs.

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