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Following a week packed with European fixtures, the Scottish Premiership returns this weekend with crucial league clashes that could reshape the standings.
Fans can anticipate a full slate of matches, featuring three games on Saturday and another three on Sunday, including one live broadcast on Sky Sports.
- Upcoming Scottish Premiership fixtures live on Sky Sports
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Let’s delve into the key storylines ahead of this weekend’s Premiership action.
Can Celtic Shine Under Their New Leadership?
On Sunday morning at 11:00am, Celtic will face Hibernian in what is likely Martin O’Neill’s final match as interim manager before Wilfried Nancy officially takes the helm.
Following a remarkable 3-1 away triumph over Feyenoord in the Europa League, O’Neill aims to maintain his unbeaten domestic record during this brief tenure. Meanwhile, the squad is aware that their incoming manager will be scrutinizing their performance closely as they strive to close the gap on league leaders Hearts.
Hibernian, under David Gray, are eager to bounce back after a 2-0 loss at Motherwell. The Easter Road side will be motivated to secure consecutive home league victories over Celtic for the first time since 2018. Their strong home form is evident, having suffered only one defeat in their last 18 matches at Easter Road-a narrow 1-0 loss to Rangers in October.
Will Hearts Recover From Their First Defeat?
Hearts experienced their inaugural loss of the season at Aberdeen, sparking questions about their invincibility. Despite the setback, they maintain a four-point lead atop the table. The statistics from Pittodrie reveal that Hearts dominated in shots and clear chances, indicating that the 1-0 scoreline was a harsh reflection of their performance.
Motherwell will challenge Hearts this weekend as Derek McInnes’ squad seeks to achieve a three-match winning streak in the Premiership for the first time since September 2023. Interestingly, Hearts were the last team to be defeated by Motherwell during such a streak.
This fixture will showcase a battle between the league’s top two scorers: Motherwell’s Tawanda Maswanhise, who has netted eight goals, and Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland, trailing by just one goal in the race for the golden boot.
Can Rangers Extend Their Winning Streak Against Falkirk?
Rangers, under Danny Röhl, are aiming for a fifth consecutive Premiership victory as they host Falkirk, the team that ended Russell Martin’s short-lived managerial spell at Ibrox.
A win could propel Rangers into third place, depending on other results at Easter Road and Fir Park, signaling continued progress under their new coach despite recent Europa League challenges.
Falkirk, who have not won at Ibrox since 1925, have shown promising form since their Premiership return, securing four wins in six matches. Their last encounter with Rangers ended in a draw thanks to Henry Cartwright’s spectacular goal, which coincided with Martin’s dismissal.
A victory for John McGlynn’s side could elevate them to third place, provided Celtic and Hearts both win their respective matches.
Will Kilmarnock End Their Troubling Losing Streak?
Kilmarnock’s season has taken a sharp downturn since early October. Once sitting third in the table, they were recently jeered off the pitch at Rugby Park after suffering their sixth consecutive league defeat-their worst start since 2021, when they lost eight straight.
Manager Stuart Kettlewell remains optimistic that his team can halt the slide against Dundee United on Saturday, having won their last two league encounters with Jim Goodwin’s side. Dundee, however, have struggled themselves, winning only once in their last seven league games and failing to score in their last three matches.
Can Dundee or St Mirren Climb the Table?
Dundee have endured a difficult run, losing all four Premiership matches since their surprise victory over Celtic in October. They sit just one point above the bottom, with only two wins so far this campaign.
St Mirren, who have finished in the top six for three consecutive seasons, are also struggling with just two victories to date. The Buddies have lost five of their last six league matches and face the prospect of losing three consecutive away games for the first time since October 2024.
Will Livingston Escape the Bottom or Will Aberdeen Extend Their Momentum?
After a challenging start, Aberdeen under Jimmy Thelin have shown encouraging signs, climbing the table with just one loss in their last six matches-a narrow 2-1 defeat to third-placed Hibernian. Their recent league highlight was Topi Keskinen’s goal that secured a win over league leaders Hearts.
Livingston, however, remain anchored at the bottom with only one league win, achieved 16 weeks ago on matchday two. Despite this, their performance at Ibrox against Rangers was commendable, with a controversial penalty denial-later acknowledged as an error by the Scottish FA-potentially costing them a valuable point.
