Early Team News: Gray Provides Squad Update Ahead of Celtic Clash

Head Coach David Gray says Josh Mulligan and Munashe Garananga are improving and getting better - and hopes they can make their return from injury in Sunday’s William Hill Premiership clash against Celtic.

Hibernian host Martin O’Neill’s side this weekend, looking to return to winning ways after our defeat to Hearts last weekend, and we’ll aim to bounce back and make it back-to-back victories over Celtic for the first time since September 2007.

Gray provided a latest fitness update to Hibs TV on Thursday, during which he delivered a positive update on Mulligan and Garananga ahead of the Sunday midday kick-off.

“There are a few moving parts with suspension,” said the Head Coach.

“We’ve got a real plus point with Josh Mulligan being back in training this week.

“We aren’t sure if he'll be ready for the squad yet, with this being his first full week of full training, but it's given everybody a lift, just because of how infectious he is and how long he's been out, and it gives everyone a real boost at this time of the season. 

“[Munashe] Garananga is touch and go. We thought he would maybe be out for the season, but he's now pushing to be available, so we will see how he goes between now and the end of the week.”

Meanwhile, the Hibees will be without three experienced players at Easter Road, with Raphael Sallinger, Grant Hanley and Felix Passlack suspended after recent red cards.

The Head Coach also confirmed Jordan Smith will start between the sticks, while Academy graduate Freddie Owens will feature on the bench.

He added: “Grant [Hanley] is still not back, as he's serving a two-game ban, so he'll miss this weekend again. 

“Felix [Passlack] and Rafa [Sallinger] will miss the game after getting sent off at the weekend.

“Smudge (Jordan Smith) came on and did incredibly well, and as I already said, after the game, it's no shock or coincidence that he managed to go and put that level of performance in with how he is every day.

“We’ve got young Freddie Owens, who has been training with us all the time, with Murray Johnson being out on loan, so he'll be on the bench.

“He’s someone who has trained with us all season and done really well, and we need everybody now because of the suspensions in the next game.”