Motherwell boss Stevie Hammell says Hibs will provide a tough test at Easter Road this afternoon, but they relish the challenge.
The Steelmen’s trip to Edinburgh is the first in a tough run of games over the next 21 days, hosting Rangers in the Premiership and Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final in the space of three days.
Motherwell then host Aberdeen on October 22, before travelling to struggling Dundee United seven days later.
Hammell reckons Lee Johnson’s side will provide a big obstacle in the capital, but they go into it with confidence, having thumped Ross County 5-0 last Tuesday, going up to sixth in the table.
He said: “It’s a challenge we relish. Every game is a big game.
“As a player, coach, manager, these are the games you relish.
“Of course they’re going to be very difficult, but we’ve already put a few good wins together in difficult games this season.
“It’s going to require us to be close to our maximum, for these games, especially how quickly they’re coming, how high-profile they are, and how important they are to the club.
“Hibs are a good team. Obviously not having a midweek game gives them a little bit more time to prepare, but we’ve watched them, we’re fully prepared for what they do.
“I think we’ve gone to some difficult venues and won away from home, but the team need to believe, and do, that when we go here we’re good enough individually, collectively, to go to these places and pick up points – which is required if you’re going to have a good season.
“We need to maintain as good momentum as we possibly can. It’s going to be tough, it’s top opposition we’re playing, and if we’re not at it we’re going to come up short.
“They have a strong identity, individually they have players that can cause you problems. I think it will be a good game, and we’ll be as ready as we possibly can be for it.”
Hammell admits the confidence boost from Tuesday’s thumping win in the Highlands has been massive, as a Kevin van Veen hat-trick was added to by strikes from Callum Slattery and Joe Efford.
He said: “The boys have taken a bit of confidence from the result and performance on Tuesday, and we will be ready to go.
“It puts us up back nearer where we want to be, the games are coming thick and fast and getting tougher and tougher as they come.
“But we needed it. It was a massive result, I said that after the game.
“That was our biggest game of the season, without a doubt, which wasn’t a quote we were trying to make, to get them up for it. We told them before the game that was our biggest game of the season and they responded well, so I’m delighted with that.
“I do think it [a result like that] has been coming, but it’s OK saying that. I believe the performances before that were better, I feel that we’ve played better this season than we did on Tuesday night.
“But the result is good to see, it’s pleasing to see, and it shows you what we’re working every day.
“It’s no secret – whoever has watched our last few performances understands that just putting the finishing touches on the big moments in the game, and we did that on Tuesday.”
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