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

Hibernian and Hearts meet in the final Edinburgh derby of the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership season on Sunday.

Hibs will be hoping to both strengthen their European ambitions and dent their rivals' title hopes, while the Jambos continue their push to win the league title.

Match preview

Hibernian initially had a lacklustre start to the campaign, winning their opening-day match against Dundee (2-1) before failing to triumph in any of their next six fixtures - five draws and one defeat.

However, David Gray's side did improve in the subsequent months, recording 12 wins, seven draws and seven defeats in their next 26 league games, leading them to a fifth-placed finish in the pre-split term.

Hibs would have been disappointed to have lost 2-0 to Aberdeen in their final pre-split game, especially as a win would have taken them onto level points with fourth-placed Motherwell.

Gray will now be looking for his side to bounce back with a potentially pivotal win in their battle for European qualification, as well as to hand a devastating defeat to rivals Hearts in their bid to secure the league title.

Hearts are currently top of the league standings with 70 points from 33 fixtures, after 21 wins, seven draws and five defeats, leaving the Jambos with a narrow one-point lead over second-placed Rangers.

After losing only two of their first 24 league fixtures, Derek McInnes' side were defeated in three of their final nine games, which allowed Rangers and Celtic to quickly close the gap at the top of the table.

However, Hearts did manage to end the pre-split season with two wins and one draw, including a superb 3-1 victory against Motherwell, and they will be looking to build on those results in the final five games of the term as they aim to lift a historic league title.

Hearts have had the better of this fixture in 2025-26, winning two of the three Edinburgh derby clashes, although Hibs did secure a 3-2 victory in their last meeting at the Easter Road Stadium in December.

Hibernian Scottish Premiership form:

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Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

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Team News

Hibernian will be unable to call upon Josh Mulligan due to injury, while Grant Hanley is suspended after receiving a red card on the final day of the pre-split season.

Rocky Bushiri Kiranga should replace Hanley in the centre of defence, alongside Warren O'Hora and Jack Iredale, while the remainder of the side could remain unchanged.

Hearts are contending with numerous injury issues, including Craig Gordon, Oisin McEntee, Tomas Magnusson, Calem Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Finlay Pollock.

Michael Steinwender could replace McEntee in defence, while the rest of the team that defeated Motherwell in Hearts' last game could start.

Hibernian possible starting lineup:

Sallinger; O'Hora, Kiranga, Iredale; Passlack, Chaiwa, Barlaser, Obita; McGrath; Elding, Scarlett

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Schwolow; Steinwender, Halkett, Findlay, Kingsley; Devlin, Baningime, Spittal; Kyziridis, Shankland, Braga

We say: Hibernian 2-2 Hearts

Hibernian will be desperate to take points away from their rivals in the title race, while also boosting their own push for European football, but a tough clash with the league leaders is expected.

Consequently, we expect a hard-fought affair between the two rivals that we believe will end all square.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.