Friday 15 December 2017 15:31, UK
It feels like we have hardly arrived back from Wednesday night's football only to see another cracking full card of Premiership fixtures on the horizon this weekend.
Tuesday night saw Hearts make it two wins in a row at their new-look Tynecastle Park while Kilmarnock came back from two goals down to earn a draw against Ross County in Dingwall.
On Wednesday Rangers performed a classic "smash 'n' grab" at Easter Road as Neil Lennon fumed at the referee's failure to award a penalty in the dying moments of a 2-1 defeat.
Champions Celtic extended their unbeaten run to 69 domestic matches in a game with some fantastic strikes from both sides as they ran out 3-1 winners at home to Hamilton Accies.
Bottom side Partick Thistle raced into a 3-0 first-half lead against Motherwell but fans had to endure a nervy finish as Stephen Robinson's men pushed for a late equaliser after goals from Bowman and Tanner in the second period.
Aberdeen kept pace with Rangers in second place with a comfortable 3-0 win against St Johnstone. The two teams are level on points and five behind leaders Celtic.
Ahead of another action-packed weekend, here are Ian Crocker and Andy Walker to give their predictions and key players to watch.
Aberdeen v Hibernian - Saturday 12.30pm
Andy Walker-
Aberdeen 3-1 Hibernian
Key Player - Adam Rooney
Showed against St Johnstone he is still as dangerous as ever.
Ian Crocker-
Aberdeen 1-1 Hibernian
Key Player - Brandon Barker
Came on and made a huge impact against Rangers, hitting both posts.
Opta Stats-
Aberdeen are enjoying an eight-match unbeaten run over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership (W6 D2) and have not conceded against Hibs in any of their previous seven league encounters.
However, Hibernian's last three top-flight victories over Aberdeen have all come on the road, last beating the Dons in May 2012 at the Pittodrie Stadium (2-1).
Aberdeen have lost back-to-back home league matches - the Dons last lost three consecutive matches at the Pittodrie Stadium in their final three home games of last season.
Hibernian have won just one of their last five Scottish Premiership matches (D2 L2), however, that victory did come in their last away game against Partick Thistle (1-0); in fact, Hibs are unbeaten in their last nine away matches in the Scottish Premiership (W5 D4), with their last defeat on the road in the competition coming back in May 2014 against Ross County (0-1).
Aberdeen have kept seven clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership so far this season despite just two of those coming at home - only Celtic have kept more in the competition (8).
Dundee v Partick Thistle - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker-
Dundee 1-1 Partick Thistle
Key Player - Glen Kamara
Enjoying a very productive season in Dundee midfield.
Ian Crocker-
Dundee 1-0 Partick Thistle
Key Player - Faissal El Bakhtaoui
Dundee may need a flash of brilliance to aid their cause.
Opta Stats-
The Dee have lost four consecutive matches against Partick in the Scottish Premiership, failing to score in all but one of those games and conceding seven goals in the process, as many as in their previous nine Scottish Premiership matches against Partick.
Partick have won back-to-back away matches against Dundee having previously never beaten them on the road in the competition (D2 L4).
Dundee have won just one of their last five home games in the Scottish Premiership (D1 L3), failing to score in three of those matches.
Partick Thistle are on a run of 13 away matches in the top flight without a victory (D6 L7); in fact, they are the only Scottish Premiership side without an away victory so far this campaign.
Blair Spittal has been directly involved in 44 per cent of Partick Thistles 16 league goals so far this season (four goals, three assists) - no player in the Scottish Premiership has contributed to a higher percentage of their side's goals.
Hamilton Accies v Ross County - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker-
Hamilton Accies 1-2 Ross County
Key Player - Jim O'Brien
Can create as well as score for a County side desperate to climb the table.
Ian Crocker-
Hamilton Accies 1-1 Ross County
Key Player - Chris Eagles
Reunited with Owen Coyle and should add some class to the proceedings.
Opta Stats-
Hamilton have gone four matches without a league win against Ross County (D2 L2); in fact, the Accies have won just one of the previous 10 Scottish Premiership encounters between the two sides (D3 L6), conceding two or more goals on seven of those occasions.
Ross County have picked up just one win against Hamilton at the SuperSeal Stadium in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L2), however, that victory did come the last time the two sides met in the month of December in the competition back in 2015 (3-1).
Hamilton have lost more points from winning positions than any other Scottish Premiership side (14).
Ross County have gone five matches in the league without a victory (D2 L3), failing to score in three of those games.
No Scottish Premiership side has received more red cards this season than Hamilton (four, level with Rangers).
Kilmarnock v Motherwell - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker-
Kilmarnock 2-2 Motherwell
Key Player - Gary Dicker
Seems to be over his injury worries and thankfully getting back to his best.
Ian Crocker-
Kilmarnock 2-0 Motherwell
Key Player- Kris Boyd
Three goals in two games for Boyd and Eamonn Brophy proves they are certainly hitting it off.
Opta Stats-
Killmarnock have won just one of their previous 11 Scottish Premiership matches against Motherwell (D2 L8). In fact, Killie have lost three consecutive league matches against the Steelmen, conceding seven goals in the process, as many as in their previous six matches combined.
Motherwell have won their last four Scottish Premiership trips to Rugby Park, conceding no more than a single goal on any of those occasions.
Killie ended a run of nine top-flight matches without a home victory (D2 L7) in their last league game at Rugby Park, thrashing Partick Thistle 5-1. They scored as many goals in that game as they had managed in their previous eight home league matches combined.
Motherwell have lost each of their previous three away matches in the Scottish Premiership, conceding nine goals in the process (average of three per game). The last time they lost four consecutive away league matches came back in October 2015.
Only Scott Sinclair (six) has scored more away goals than Motherwell's Louis Moult (five).
Rangers v St Johnstone - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker-
Rangers 2-0 St Johnstone
Key Player - Jason Holt
Starting to understand the demands of playing for such a big club.
Ian Crocker-
Rangers 2-0 St Johnstone
Key Player - Alfredo Morelos
The goals have returned to go with the work rate. He's an enjoyable watch.
Opta Stats-
Rangers are enjoying a 12-match unbeaten run against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership (W9 D3) winning each of the last three encounters. Indeed, Rangers have lost just one their last 19 matches against St Johnstone in the competition (W15 D3), keeping 11 clean sheets in the process.
St. Johnstone have never beaten Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L10), conceding 27 goals and scoring just six in the 13 such meetings. However, they have managed to hold Rangers to a draw in two of their last three league visits (L1).
Rangers (13) have won more points from losing positions than any other Scottish Premiership side this season.
St. Johnstone have won back-to-back away matches in the Scottish Premiership for just the third time in 2017; the last time they won three or more consecutive league matches on the road came back in December 2015 (run of five).
Josh Windass has had more shots on goal than any other player in the division (46).
Hearts v Celtic - Live on Sky Football from 12pm on Sunday
Andy Walker-
Hearts 0-4 Celtic
Key Player - Scott Sinclair
His stats are impressive but he can still improve his level of performance.
Ian Crocker-
Hearts 1-3 Celtic
Key Player - Moussa Dembele
Only a sub for the last couple of games. Might be unleashed for this one.
Opta Stats-
Hearts have gone 18 matches without a Scottish Premiership victory over Celtic (D2 L16), conceding three or more goals in 10 of those matches and failing to score in 11; they have lost each of their last seven league matches against Celtic.
Celtic have won seven of their last eight trips to Hearts in the league (D1), scoring 25 goals (average of 3.13 goals per game) and conceding just five.
This will be Hearts' eighth consecutive home game in the Scottish Premiership. They are currently unbeaten in their last five league matches at Tynecastle Park (W2 D3), keeping three clean sheets in their last their last four matches.
Celtic's unbeaten record in the Scottish Premiership has now stretched to 56 matches (W47 D9); however, the Hoops have drawn back-to-back away league matches for this first time during their unbeaten run having been held 1-1 by Motherwell and 2-2 by Hibernian.
Indeed, the Scottish Premiership leaders have already dropped more points in their first 17 games this season (10) than they did in the whole of last season's 38 matches combined (eight).
Scott Sinclair has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the division (eight goals, three assists), scoring three goals in his last two league appearances.
