A first Premiership defeat of 2025 for Hibernian at Pittodrie last weekend has opened the door for Aberdeen and Dundee United in the race to finish best of the rest.
With four games remaining, just three points cover the trio, so this is a biggie at Easter Road.
Did the pressure of extending their unbeaten league run to a club record 18 games get to Hibs last time, or was it overconfidence in their game management?
Either way, David Gray’s side appeared cautious away to the Dons and were undone by a special goal from Kevin Nisbet.
Expect the approach to change this time as Hibs aim for a seventh successive home league victory, something they haven’t done in more than seven years.
Those six previous matches on their own turf have yielded 16 goals, with a mere three against.
A highly dubious VAR-awarded penalty late in the game earned Jim Goodwin’s side a third consecutive draw at Easter Road in November and United have lost just one of their past 14 top-flight trips to EH7, winning five of those.
A forensic VAR intervention at Tannadice in February denied United a second goal, with Hibs making the most of that lucky escape with two late goals in a 3-1 win, so maybe it’s true what they say about decisions levelling out across the season.
United’s thumping by Celtic has extended Hibs’ handsome goal difference advantage, so a home win here could leave the visitors with too much ground to make up.
Goodwin’s side are seeking a third away win on the bounce and kept three successive clean sheets before the champions turned it on for their title party.
The visitors have already exceeded the expectations of a promoted side and much of that success has come from a defensive stodginess.
United may be guarded after shipping five goals to Celtic, but that doesn’t mean they can’t mix it.
And, with five of the 11 goals these two have dished up in this season’s three prior matches coming on or after 90 minutes, don’t even think about leaving early to beat the traffic.
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