'Rangers just have that additional quality' - Journalists' predictions for Rangers v Hibs

Mark Atkindon

Hibs have so often spoiled the party at Govan, but this is a really, really big ask. Rangers are in good form right now and creating plenty of chances.

Moreover, with it being Rangers' first home league match of the season and the fans buoyed by the late winner at Kilmarnock and then Thursday's Europa League win over Midtjylland, confidence and swagger will be high in the Ibrox stands.

Hibs have been pretty meek against Rangers under Paul Heckingbottom and, to be honest, I can't really see that changing here.

The experience of wing-backs David Gray and Lewis Stevenson will be missed and I am concerned that Hibs' midfield, which did not function correctly against St Mirren, may be vulnerable. New players such as Josh Vela, Adam Jackson, Christian Doidge and Joe Newell won't have experienced something like Ibrox before - you don't get this sort of atmosphere in the English Championship.

Hibs have yet to be given a proper beating under Heckingbottom, but I genuinely feel there's a chance of it happening here if they don't keep Rangers at bay early in the match. Regardless, I think Rangers will prevail. Prediction: Rangers win

Anthony Brown

Hibs have done well at Ibrox in recent seasons, but that was generally when they had a more dangerous array of attackers than they do now and against weaker Rangers sides.

Steven Gerrard’s team have made a pretty convincing start to the season and, unless they are afflicted by any post-European malaise, it is hard to make a strong case for Hibs - diminished by the ongoing absence of their energetic, tone-setting full-backs David Gray and Lewis Stevenson - coming back to Edinburgh with a result. Prediction: Rangers win

Neil McGlade

This is the strongest Rangers outfit Hibs can expect in quite a few years now.

Slowly but surely Steven Gerrard is assembling a squad that is capable of halting Celtic in their tracks.

Hibs have fared well at Ibrox in recent seasons but this is a different proposition to the one previous regimes have faced.

At times, Heckingbottom's players struggled against a weak St Mirren side while Rangers continue to build momentum with another impressive win in Europe.

Hibs won't park the bus and in Scott Allan have a player capable of unlocking any Premiership defence. However, the Glasgow outfit just have that additional quality at their disposal. Prediction: Rangers win

Patrick McPartlin

Rangers have recorded some crushing results in Europe in the last six weeks or so, but they still needed an injury-time winner to beat a Kilmarnock side demonstrably weaker than last season.

Steven Gerrard will almost certainly rotate his team but it's hard to see it being weakened if any of the players rested mid-week are brought in.

Hibs have injury worries of their own, and few Hibees will forget the makeshift back-three of Efe Ambrose, Ryan Porteous and Lewis Stevenson that helped Hibs to victory during Neil Lennon's tenure.

Could Hibs do it again? Probably not, and that's not a slight on Paul Heckingbottom's squad, but an acknowledgement of the strength in depth at Ibrox. Hibs do have players capable of doing damage - Stevie Mallan (and his set-pieces), Florian Kamberi and Scott Allan are all talented individuals, but for me, Rangers look too strong. If the Gers have an off-day and it all clicks for Hibs then a result isn't unthinkable, but that's a lot of ifs. Prediction: Rangers win

Joel Sked

The win over St Mirren was far from pulsating but there were a number of positives to take from it, namely Paul Heckingbottom's ability to change it from the bench.

Yet, at Ibrox the team won't get away with the passivity they played with for the majority of the match against the Buddies, and, of course, it will help if officials make correct decisions, especially at Ibrox. Govan has been a welcoming place in recent years, certainly in terms of results, and Rangers themselves were slow and lethargic against Kilmarnock last Sunday.

The hope will be that their European excursions will play into Hibs' hands, yet Steven Gerrard has built a squad with greater depth. Prediction: Narrow Rangers win.