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The quest for Top-Six has been achieved, the push for Europe starts now. Victory over County coupled with Dundee United dropping points in their derby meant that Inverness had reached the Top-Six and can not now be displaced before the split.

International football got in the way of Butcher's drive for European domination, but the race starts again with a visit to Easter Road to take on fellow aspirants Hibernian.  Let's hope we are not put off by the embarrassment that is the Scotland National football team who have plumbed new depths and are now being mentioned in the same breath as San Marino and the Faroe Islands. Snow threatened to call off the international in Serbia, unfortunately for Scotland the game went ahead.

Anyway, enough of that rubbish, back to the real football this weekend.

Hibs have their own agenda and are still seeking points to ensure their position with the elite as Aberdeen, Dundee United and Kilmarnock are looking to enter the party. It's very tight below Celtic and nothing will be decided until the final few days of the season, but for now, we can sleep easy in the knowledge that we will be one of the clubs fighting for that Euro spot, no need to look over our shoulders just now.

Two Inverness players were unused at International level during the week as Billy McKay and Owain Tudur-Jones were called into their respective squads for world cup qualifiers.  Good recognition for both players who have had excellent seasons so far.

Plenty of speculation surrounding Antonio Reguero regarding a move to Kilmarnock for next season.  A strange choice considering Killie have been pleading poverty for as long as Inverness have been an SPL side. Toni has been a more than adequate replacement for Ryan Esson this season and will be called upon this weekend again as Esson recovers from his groin injury.  Andrew Shinnie is the other headliner, a supposed move to Birmingham City in the offing although he is playing his cards close to his chest.

The players will have used the break to recharge the batteries ahead of what will be a tough conclusion to the season, but this year there is plenty to play for and the possibility of another Highland derby to whet the appetite should keep them focussed on the job in hand.

Gary Warren has knee ligament damage and will miss the next month of the season at a crucial stage in the drive for a Euro spot, but Danny Devine will be an able deputy and Chris Hogg has played a couple of u20 games recently and is building up his strength after a lengthy lay off.  His last game was for the u20's as they went down to their Hibs counterparts this week by three goals to two.  Shane Sutherland and Jordan Gibbons had Inverness on top but after a few changes, Hibs got back into the game and snatched the winner, but by all accounts a good workout for Hogg along with Shane, Nick Ross, Phillip Roberts and Connor Pepper amongst others.





***Latest Team News***

Inverness will miss influential defender Gary Warren who could be out for a month with a knee injury. Simon King is still unavailable but Chris Hogg is on the comeback trail, although this may be too soon for a full shift.  Graeme Shinnie is avalable after suspension which will give Butcher a selection problem after Charlie Taylor put in a good effort against County. Reguero will continue in goal.

Hibernian  defender Tim Clancy could return for Hibernian having  recovered from a hamstring injury but the match comes too early for Paul Hanlon. Alan Maybury is suspended, while Jorge Claros will be assessed following his return from international duty.
 

tm4tj Prediction:- Points are getting harder to come by as the teams fight it out for placings into the top-six. Warren will be a big miss for us but that is countered by Maybury missing out for Hibs.  Easter Road is a difficult place to get all three points at the best of times and the Hibees should be well up for this game as they look to secure their place at the top end of the table.  Might have to settle for a point here, 1-1.