Steven Fletcher is disappointed his strike partnership with Colin Nish will be on ice for Hibernian's Scottish Cup fifth-round replay with Rangers on Sunday.

Fletcher, 20, has struck up a fine understanding with the experienced January arrival from Kilmarnock with both among the goals lately, but Nish is cup-tied courtesy of an appearance in the tournament for his previous employers.

That leaves manager Mixu Paatelainen with a decision over who to bring in, with defender Martin Canning also ineligible and injury concerns over goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay, midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin and forward Dean Shiels.

Fletcher said he will be sorry to see his new sidekick take a seat in the stand when Hibs meet the Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders.

He said: "Nishy has come in and done really well. It seems that we have adapted to each other's game quite quickly and it's been good for us both. I have enjoyed playing alongside him since he arrived. We will miss him on Sunday but we have others who are capable of coming in and doing a job."

Clayton Donaldson is one contender to partner Fletcher; Abdessalam Benjelloun is another, and perhaps the favourite, if Paatelainen opts for two strikers.

Fletcher said: "Even if the gaffer brings in Benji or goes with one up front we've got some good goalscorers in midfield so we'll still be capable of getting goals."

Paatelainen may be tempted to stick Fletcher up front on his own and the Scotland under-21 international insists that would not be a problem.

Fletcher, who picked up his second Clydesdale Bank Premier League Young Player of the Month award this week, added: "He's the manager and I'll honestly play anywhere and do the job he wants me to."

A string of top players including Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown have all made recent big-money moves out of Easter Road and the consensus in the capital is that Fletcher, Hibernian's top scorer, will be the next to be snapped up by one of Scotland's big two or a Barclays Premier League outfit.

He remains content at Hibs for the moment, but added: "The Premier League is a very big league, one of the biggest in the world. Obviously if you get the opportunity to go there you would, but I'm happy to wait and see what happens."

Paatelainen says he is hoping to make up for the pain of three Scottish Cup final defeats as a player by ending the club's 106-year hoodoo in the competition.

The former striker experienced losses with Dundee United in 1988, Aberdeen in 1993 and Hibs in 2001. In England, he was part of the Bolton side that lot to Liverpool in the League Cup in 1995.

"I have bad memories of the Scottish Cup," he said. "Of course I want to change that, you want to win matches, whether that's league matches or cup matches and this one is no different.

"Past results and the history will mean nothing on Sunday. It is a new adventure and a new game altogether.

"It's a big game for both clubs and despite Rangers' European game, I am sure they will want to do well in the Scottish Cup."