Jack Ross is looking for Hibernian to put a dampener on Dundee United’s impressive return to the Premiership.
The Tayside club were promoted to the top flight as champions after the coronavirus crisis curtailed last season and have made an encouraging start.
Micky Mellon’s side have four points from six following a home draw against St Johnstone and a win at Motherwell .
Hibs have won both their matches, including a 4-1 win at Livingston on Saturday, and Ross hopes to maintain that form at Tannadice on Tuesday night.
He said: “As a club, and I have heard Micky say that, they will have the ambition to make an impression because of the status and history.
“What often happens is that promoted clubs bring an early enthusiasm and energy to their play.
“And if you get off to that good start that the early enthusiasm can bring, it can give you that platform to have a good season.
“They have already done that with the opening two fixtures and they will look to continue that.
“It is up to us to hopefully put a dampener on that and quell that enthusiasm that they have at the moment.
“But I would expect them to hope to use the season as a platform to bring themselves back into the position I think they believe they should be in terms of Scottish football.”
Ross insists there is no chance of getting caught up in the early-season euphoria surrounding the Easter Road club.
The former St Mirren and Sunderland boss said: “It is easy for me as a manager because you just move on to the next game.
“I am nearly 250 games into this job and you don’t really get the chance to enjoy it, you just move on to the next match.
“I am saying you don’t enjoy it, of course you do. But what you find as a manager, even the immediate euphoria, you don’t get to enjoy that because you have speak to the media and by the time I return to the changing room it is half empty.
“You get a feeling of satisfaction at times, but it is your job and when you have a quick turnaround like this week, your focus turns to the next game.
“You want to make sure the players are confident and have a bit of swagger about their play because of recent performances and results, it is just reminding them why they have achieved it.”
Hibs were drawn against Dundee, Forfar, Brora Rangers and Cove Rangers in Monday’s Betfred Cup group-stage draw.
Ross said: “Obviously they regionalise the draw, but there is still a bit of travelling for us.
“By the time those games come around we will have a number of fixtures prior and we will have to make full use of the squad when those games come around.
“But as you can imagine, we have a lot of distractions before then.”
