Nick Montgomery ponders Hibs what if as he details key difference from last Hearts defeat

Nick Montgomery has warned his Hibs stars they must silence Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland if they are to start cutting down the “frustrating” 21 point gap between the capital rivals.

Shankland was the difference the last time the sides locked horns in Leith in December when his stunning 94th minute goal broke the deadlock. That was his fifth derby strike in just 18 months at Tynecastle. And Montgomery knows putting the shackles on the 26-goal hitman is key to him landing a first derby blow as Hibs boss.

He said: “They have one of the best strikers in the competition. I don’t think anyone can deny he has been one of the most in form strikers in the league with his goals, and goals change games. And yes, he has got them a lot of points late on in games. He’s been a focal point for them and the stats tell you that you have to keep him quiet. The defenders know that. There are plenty of games where he's been the difference between two teams. Last time we kept him quiet until the 94th minute.

“There’s some good strikers in this league, so what you can’t do is give any time and space in the box to players that can punish you. It’s about us, we always focus on ourselves but still give respect to the opposition.”

Montgomery admits the 21-point gap to the third place Jambos is not acceptable. But after a busy January transfer market in which seven new players arrived and a morale-boosting win over Dundee on Saturday, he insists Hearts will be facing a different animal this evening.

Montgomery, who welcomes Dylan Levitt back from illness, said: “It’s a frustration because it’s a big gap. It’s something I’m not happy about, and I know the supporters aren’t happy about it. If we’d got the result in that last derby we’d have gone