Hibernian boss Paul Heckingbottom has admitted that midfielder Ryan Gauld is still not ready to return to action at Easter Road after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
The 23-year-old has only made five appearances since signing on loan from Sporting Lisbon in January, the last of these coming at the start of February against Celtic which ended with the young Scot limping off in the 59th minute.
Gauld has yet to play during Heckingbottom's reign but after playing in a reserve game last week against Ross County hopes were high that he would make the squad for the trip to Livingston on Friday night.
However, Gauld was not included in the squad and ahead of Wednesday's game against Kilmarnock at Easter Road, the Hibernian manager revealed the former Scotland Under-21 player was still not under consideration.
Asked if Gauld was any closer to a return Heckingbottom said: "No."We played him in a game, he trained after that game but he is just not ready to be involved with us daily.
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"We know it is the final part of his rehab and that's where we need to get him, so he can train every day, gradually build his minutes with his development games and with us so that he is ready and we know that when we put him out to do 90 minutes for us that he can do it."
With just seven games remaining, Heckingbottom admitted his frustration for him and Gauld.
He said: "There is nothing worse if you are a player than being injured.
"If a manager is not picking you at least you can do something about it and convince him on the training ground but when you are injured you can't, you feel helpless and it is the worst part of the job."
Hibs have been unbeaten in the league since Heckingbottom took over from Neil Lennon on February 13 and their 2-1 win over Livi ultimately left them in sixth place in the table, two points behind Edinburgh rivals Hearts.
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Above all else, the former Barnsley boss has been struck by the honesty within the Hibs squad.
He said: "There has been a real honesty in the group. I called for it but I think it was there.
"The fact that what you see is what you get. If you ask them to do something they will give everything to try to do it and you can accept anything then.
"In the process of taking the job we had the opportunity to watch a hell of a lot of games and that was the stand-out quality.
"It was evident to us so we have tried to harness that and it is the most important quality.
"If someone beats us they are going to have to work extremely hard, have the rub of the green or however you want to put it, if we continue being like this.
"There is a way to lose and if we lose by leaving everything out on the pitch then fair enough."
