Hibs manager will continue to set his players targets

HIBS boss John Hughes has denied placing too great a pressure on his players by demanding they end the season in third place.

After months of refusing to set targets, Hughes went public with his desire to finish "best of the rest" after seeing his side embark on a run of 12 matches unbeaten which catapulted them into his desired position.

But things started to go horribly wrong with the Easter Road outfit suffering a record of just one win in nine matches before Saturday's much-needed victory over relegation-threatened Falkirk.

Despite that miserable run, which culminated in defeat by Hearts and an Active Nation Scottish Cup exit at the hands of First Division Ross County, Hibs remain very much in the race for Europe. The win over the Bairns hoisted them back into fourth place and victory tonight against Dundee United would see them leapfrog the Tayside outfit and regain the third spot they had occupied for much of the campaign.

Asked if he felt, with the benefit of hindsight, making his demand public had perhaps placed an added pressure on his players, Hughes said: "No, no, definitely not. It was purposely done, the reason being I've always felt as manager that Hibs should be getting that third or fourth spot, trying to challenge the Old Firm as much as we can and getting to the latter stages of the cup competitions.

"I know where I am going, what I have in my dressing room, it was just a wee demand on them, to see how they can handle it, who can play to that win, win, win every week. That's what you have to do at Hibs, that's what I am trying to create.

"We still have that opportunity and this is where you get your answers, when you challenge them and see who comes up to the mark."

While Hughes believes the win over Falkirk will put a spring back in the step of his players, he admitted Hibs face a tough encounter tonight against a United side which, he said, appeared as if it could do no wrong at the moment.

"It's a big game," he added, "United are flying high and we will have to be at our best."

While Paul Hanlon and Alan Gow have been ruled out because of injury, Hughes hopes to have midfield anchorman Kevin McBride back although playmaker Merouane Zemmama remains a doubt after picking up a knock only 11 minutes into his comeback match.