Hibs striker Martin Boyle admits Aston Villa gave them a reality check last week.

Hibs are at Villa Park tonight for the second-leg of their Europa Conference League playoff after losing 5-0 at home last week.

Boyle told Club TV: “It has been quite a tough week in all honesty. As a squad we have to stick together, Dave [Gray] has come in behind the scenes and is doing what he can to get us best prepared for the next few games. We are all fully behind him and his ideas on what he wants to implement whether that is in the short-term or longer term.

“Unfortunately, I have been in this position before – it is not nice to see people losing their jobs but as players, we need to stand up and take responsibility for that.

“We are all ready for the occasion. It is going to be really difficult, they are a top side who are in tremendous form at the moment and we have been a bit inconsistent.

“We know we can produce more than we did last week, it will be a great occasion for the fans and a great experience for us, so we have to enjoy but at the same time keep our full focus on the game.

“These are the occasions you want to play in – this is why we work hard during this season and these are the tournaments you strive to get into.

“The first few games in Europe have been good for us and we have managed to get to this point. This fixture is a big challenge, but the fans will enjoy the occasion tomorrow and hopefully, we can be brave on the ball and showcase what we can do."