Caley Thistle defender Graeme Shinnie believes there is a fear factor for opposing teams visiting Caledonian Stadium.
The Premiership leaders are undefeated in three games on home turf and the 22-year-old reckons other clubs dread making the trip to the Highland capital.
Hibs head north with Inverness determined to improve after edging out Dundee in the League Cup on Tuesday at Dens Park.
He said: “It has been different at home this season. Teams have been looking as though they don’t want to come near here.
“We have been putting in the performances that have made them think that way.
“A couple of years ago we struggled at home a bit.
“It has changed now. We are strong and teams don’t want to come here.
“People make a big deal about the travelling involved.
“We do it every second week and we don’t complain about it.
“It is just an excuse for teams before they come here and a lot of them stay overnight anyway.
“The way we are playing and the confidence we are showing is enough to put fear into teams coming up here and we will look to do well in Saturday’s game again.
“The only thing we were happy about was winning the game and getting through against Dundee.
“We know we can perform much better than that. We did not get going in the game at all.
“We had a couple of days off to think about it and recharge the batteries and we will be ready to go against Hibs.”
Shinnie’s consistent displays this season have led some onlookers to tip the Aberdeen-born left back for a Scotland call-up. Brother Andrew, now at Birmingham City, won a national team cap while with Inverness last term but the defender is not anticipating a call from Gordon Strachan.
He said: “I don’t take much notice of what people say, I have to keep performing for the club.
“Billy McKay has been called up and my brother Andy did well and was called up.
“It showed that people will look at us if we are playing well. We are top of the league and if the players keep performing as they have been then anyone can get called up.”