Injury and illness hit Hibs preparations for Dons clash

Hibs have two starting central defenders battling against injury and illness ahead of this weekend’s visit of Aberdeen. But they’re likely to be boosted by the return of first-choice goalkeeper David Marshall for the final three games of a disappointing Scottish Premiership season.

Will Fish is still working his way back from the back injury that kept him out of the loss to Ross County. Fellow centre-half Rocky Bushiri, meanwhile, returned to training yesterday after missing a couple of days with illness.

Under-fire Hibs boss Nick Montgomery could do with both players available for Saturday’s Easter Road clash, as the home side look to repair the damage done by another late collapse in Dingwall last weekend. But it looks as if club captain Paul Hanlon, due to bow out at the end of the campaign, may be pressed into service again.

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“Will Fish is still struggling with a back injury,” revealed Monty. “That’s a bit worse than we thought, another innocuous one, just heading the ball. It’s a twinge in his back – but backs are always difficult until they settle down.

“Rocky has been ill. There has been a bit of bug going around in the last few months. We’ve had one in, one out, one in, two out … so he wasn’t feeling great at the weekend. He should be back in and ready for Sunday.”

Elie Youan, who hasn’t played since mid-April because of an ankle knock, could return to the squad on Saturday, Montgomery saying: “Elie is possibly back in training this week. He just rolled his ankle in training, a real innocuous one, as these things usually are.”

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The manager – who says Lewis Miller is still struggling with a hamstring train - also believes the Hibs medical staff are right to give long-term injury victim Jake Doyle-Hayes time to ease himself back into a full training programme, explaining: “It’s just the same with Jake, he’s in and out. We’re hoping that, by the end of the season, which is very close, we’ll be able to tick him off as fully fit, integrate him back into selection in pre-season.”