Hibs left 'very frustrated' after Rangers showing as Elie Youan decision and appraisal explained

The visitors went down to a 34th-minute header from Emmanuel Fernandez as Rangers moved five points clear of them in the Premiership. Hibs controlled plenty of the encounter, but were blunt in the final third and were punished for a lack of concentration for the only goal of a scrappy encounter.

“I'm very frustrated,” said Gray. “I asked the players to be brave, be aggressive, get after Rangers and go toe-to-toe and I thought they did. I thought they won the ball back well, in good areas and had a lot of control in the first half.

“But the bit that let us down all night probably - which has been really unlike us - is the final third. So, for all the control I felt we had, considering this was a difficult venue to come, it wasn't as if we had chance after chance. I think that was down to a lack of decision making sometimes and a lack of quality.

“The final third let us down, we just lacked that little bit of cutting edge tonight and it wasn't for getting into good areas, it was just the final bit and it probably summed up our night, to be honest.

“But then, when you're having nights like that, we lose a goal from a set-piece, which is the bit that's really tough to take. Firstly, we give away the corner that's avoidable, but these things happen, that's just a genuine mistake, but then in the moments then you need to make sure that you don't concede.

“I think it was decided because of our quality, It let us down in the final third. It wasn't through a lack of effort, it wasn't through what the boys put into the game, but it's certainly something I've not had to say very often this season. It's even tougher to take probably because I know what's in there.

Why Youan started against Rangers

Gray handed French forward Elie Youan only his second start of the season. The decision was forced upon him to due to Martin Boyle falling ill and Thibault Klidje only just returning from a four-week lay-off. The duo appeared from the bench and Gray felt Youan did well for the 65 minutes he was on the pitch.

"I think he was good,” Gray said. “I thought he picked up really good positions. He was bright, he was probably another one that has got more quality in the final third than what happened tonight.

“He had a few chances, a few snapshots that he maybe snatched it a little bit, but he's not played a lot of football as well, so I think there's an element of that. He was very much part of a team that was good until the final third.”