Pat Fenlon can feel a new sense of unity around Easter Road which is the sort of belief required in any club if they are to progress and avoid relegation. Fenlon has brought in some new faces and his new-look side has shown the necessary togetherness to keep clean sheets in consecutive games against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen. The defence has been the undoing of Hibs on so many occasions so a brace of clean sheets is a welcome addition to the record books. The William Hill Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock and draw against the Dons have sparked a positive response from the Hibs fans. Fenlon is looking to make it a hat-trick of clean sheets when his side welcome Celtic today.
Fenlon said: "When you have got a football club the size of Hibernian and it's been struggling over a period of time it's not going to get itself out of the problems it's had without everyone being together. There's a coming together at the club at the minute from all angles, which is great. Everyone is looking positive and a bit more upbeat. There is a common goal at the club to survive in the Premier League and get as far as possible in the Scottish Cup. To do that we need to perform on the pitch but we also need the fans behind us and I think we have got a bit of both at the minute."
Fenlon may be lifelong Celtic fan but he is determined to show that he has a side that can give the league leaders a fright. He said: "It's not about me, it's about the club. It's a big game for us. Three points are available for us to get out of the trouble we're in. That's all that matters come Sunday. It's not about anything else. It's a massive game for the club. They're playing really well, they are on a fantastic run. We have got ourselves on little bit of a start of a run and we want to continue that."
Hibs welcome back Leigh Griffiths, Paul Hanlon and James McPake from suspension but Callum Booth has joined Tom Soares, Danny Galbraith and Ian Murray on the injury list.