Josh Doig noticing more hunger in Hibs training as he admits this season 'has been mental'

He is only in his second term as a first team player but even Hibs defender Josh Doig recognises that things are unusually tight in the top flight this season, offering the Leith side precious little breathing space.

While Celtic, Rangers are in a league of their own, and third-placed Hearts are 11 points ahead of the chasing pack, there is a notable degree of congestion beneath that, with only five points separating Hibs in fourth and Ross County in 10th.

With the split looming large, if the situation remains as tight over the next five games, there will be teams left in the bottom six who feasibly could have been battling for a European spot, while those who make the cut know they will have to scrap all the way to the line.

On Sunday Hibs kept their noses ahead, on goal difference, thanks to a draw with league leaders Celtic but such is the unrelenting pressure from those piled up behind them, when they face the team at the complete opposite end of the table, Dundee, this evening, there can be no dip in performance level.

“Celtic are flying, so to go toe-to-toe with them was positive,” says Doig. “But it’s just about keeping that momentum now. The big games are coming thick and fast.

“Dundee are bottom of the league but you can’t use that as any excuse. We need to go in with 100 per cent effort, we need the three points.

“The league has been crazy this year, everyone has been beating everyone, it’s been mental.

“But, we need to now look to win every game between now and the end of the season and we know we’re good enough to do it.

“It’s about getting one positive result after another, Dundee then on Saturday and so on.

“It’s not just against the team at the bottom of the league, it’s every team.

“It’s crazy. It’s