Chris plans to Hogg top-team slot.

Byline: John Gardner

HIBS skipper Chris Hogg has confessed his pride was dented when boss John Hughes dropped him but he is now hoping he's back in the team to stay.

The 24-year-old, right, was given the armband in the summer after the departure of Rob Jones but suffered the ignominy of being left out the team for the recent league and cup double-header against St Johnstone.

The ex-England Youth skipper was blamed for the weak defensive display in the 2-0 defeat by Hamilton and was on the bench for the 3-0 win over Saints and the 3-1 Co-op Insurance Cup defeat that followed.

However, he was back in the team on Saturday for the 3-1 win at Motherwell and is hopeful both he and the team can build on that impressive performance on Saturday against Dundee United.

Hoggsaid: "If your pride is not dented by being dropped there's something wrong with you. I wasn't happy with it but know that's football and you've got to be big enough to get on with things.

"I thought we did well on Saturday.We played some good stuff and also dug in at times. We've got to build on that this weekend."

One of the key figures at Fir Park was Merouane Zemmama who was making his first start for the club since April 2008 after a loan spell in the United Arab Emirates and lay-offs because of injury and Ramadan following his return.

The Moroccan international scored with a superb second-half free-kick and tormented the Motherwell defence at times in a virtuoso display.

Belgian outfit Standard Liege have since been credited with an interest in Zouma, who moved to Edinburgh three years ago, but Hibs are unlikely to entertain any moves for the 25-year-old.

Hogg added: "Zouma was great, that's the best I've seen him in years. It was the form he showed when he first came here."