An excellent performance and another solid win, can you tell us your thoughts on tonight’s match?

Very happy with the result, a big three points for us again. I think we continued the way we played after Sunday, particularly the first 10-20 minutes we wanted to play really well with a lot of intensity and a lot of pressure on them which we succeeded in. It gave us the 1-0 advantage but also some good opportunities to score the second.

I think we were really well organised throughout the whole game and if we could put pressure on their defence we did and, of course, the second goal from Alfredo was an important one and after that we controlled the game.

At moments we had to dig deep, especially at set pieces in the end and also a good shot from them which Allan saved really well but overall very pleased with the three points.

Is there any news on Leon Balogun?

Not yet, he couldn’t continue so we have to wait and see what tomorrow will bring. We’re going to assess him and hopefully, it’s not too serious because he’s had a season where he’s had many injuries.

Have you learned anything from your side in the last week in terms of responding to adversity?

Disappointments will happen in a season, especially the way you react to those moments is vital for the future. I think we did really well. We had a big loss against Celtic last Wednesday but the reaction after that was good, especially in our character, in our intensity, our mentality as well, the way of playing so I’m really pleased with the response and now it’s for us to keep going.

Now the cup competition will begin again, we’re going to play in Europe next week and then the season starts again but I think we’re in a good place and everyone is pushing each other to keep putting in the performances we did last Sunday and today so we’ll enjoy tonight and then we have to prepare for Saturday.

Two excellent performances from John Lundstram, do you see him as a mainstay in that No.6 position?

He’s done really well, I’m really happy for John because it’s not easy to be not playing and be on the bench. Every player wants to play but the response he had and the performance he had in the last two games, for me, that’s what you want if you need a player to put him in and perform so I’m really happy for John with the way he’s playing.

Competition is really hard at the moment because we’ve got many players available now, not only in midfield but also upfront which is a good thing for me but we just have to continue and everyone who’s in the team, who starts, they have to be ready and that’s what you want as a coach.

That’s nine in 11 for Alfredo, are you encouraging him to drop deep also?

It depends on the opponent. You see today we saw quite a defensive set-up for Hibs with a lot of defensive minded players, so we knew they were going to sit in a low block and press us in moments. Our objective was to make movements to get the ball to Alfredo and play off him. He did really well first half because when we found him he’d already turned away and tried to find Ryan on the left, where he was isolated with the defender. Or he could link up with other midfield players. We knew against a defensive team we needed to have runners behind the defence and players who can hold the ball and I think Morelos is doing really well finding the moments to be a target man but also keep his threat in the 18-yard-box. That is where he is very dangerous and I think his knowledge and understanding of when to come or stay away is getting better and better.

Is the next week a welcome break from the pressure?

You feel the pressure every game. I’m also glad that we can continue in the cup which is every team’s shortest way to a prize and of course being involved in Europe still after the winter break is good for the team and the club. The pressure is on on Saturday, we are facing Annan and have respect for every opponent we meet. We want to be in the draw for the next round.

Borna Barisic looked short of confidence?

For Borna, the [Old Firm] was a difficult game but those are difficult moments that will happen in your career so the only thing we have to do is give him the confidence and help him. It’s not easy because you see he had to come on in a split second which is always hard without a warm up but I think as the game progressed he started to get into it better. He’s one of our players, we support him and the players support him also to get the performances he needs.

Are we likely to see some squad rotation on Saturday? 

Yes, I think like the last game we tried to rotate for these games because we have a big squad with a lot of quality players and every player needs minutes. So when you have possibilities to do that I will do it so probably you will see changes on Saturday. 

Is Scott Arfield’s long term position in the front three and does his selection there give you balance? 

We can do both. It’s not his position for the rest of the season. We know he can do it. We can play with wingers, we can play with one very attacking side and one midfielder on the other who plays more inside. We played with Ianis Hagi as a right winger who also comes inside so it depends on what you want on that side. We know James Tavernier can play very offensively so we have many possibilities. I think Aribo is good on the right but he is also good in midfield.  

It must have been pleasing to see James Tavernier come infield and affect the game, laying on the goal for Alfredo Morelos from that position? 

Yes, he has the drive to go forward and especially when you play without a right winger you see a lot of rotations on the right and in moments he gets forward to cross. In the first half he had two excellent crosses for Scott and he scored one (although it was disallowed) and one was saved but he can also come inside and give a pass to Morelos. He’s a very diverse player we have on the right so I’m very happy he can give a good performance.  

How important is keeping the intensity and pressing of opponents? 

It’s very important. If you can do it, it can be very good but it also means you have the whole team going forward at the right moments. Once you are exposed in areas you will find it really difficult. I think the players are understanding that once the press is made we all go forward to put the pressure on the opponent. That’s going well and it must give the players confidence because we have done it against two difficult teams and scored seven goals without conceding. That also helps. You can’t do it the whole game, you have to pick your moments and there were times when we dropped a little deeper but those are moments you will always have in the game.