Friday 30 March 2018 15:01, UK
After a mixed bag in Alex McLeish’s first matches back in charge of Scotland, it’s time to return to the bread-and-butter of league football.
Dundee v Hearts is this weekend's Live on Sky Football with Neil McCann having to take a seat in the Dens Park stands after receiving a two-match ban for his altercation with St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark.
Elsewhere, it's top against bottom as Ross County travel down the A9 to face Celtic in Glasgow, with Rangers travelling to Fir Park early on Saturday afternoon.
St Johnstone take their trip to Aberdeen on the back of a 1-0 win over Hamilton on Tuesday, keeping their vague hopes of a top-six finish alive.
Partick Thistle, winless in their last six Premiership fixtures, host Hibs, who have not been beaten in the league since their 1-0 defeat to Celtic in January.
At the beginning of the season, Kilmarnock v Hamilton looked like a relegation six-pointer but Steve Clarke's impact on the west coast means the Rugby Park club have all but booked their top-six finish. Hamilton themselves are five points clear of the relegation play-off after going their last four matches unbeaten.
Motherwell v Rangers - Saturday 12.30pm
Andy Walker
Motherwell 1-2 Rangers
Key Player Bruno Alves
Rangers must rely on his experience to get back to winning ways.
Ian Crocker
Motherwell 1-2 Rangers
Key Player Jamie Murphy
A dream move to his boyhood heroes, a Scotland debut and now going back to his roots.
Opta Stats
Motherwell have failed to beat Rangers in their previous 39 attempts in the top-flight (D10 L29), with their last victory coming back in December 2002 (1-0).
Rangers are enjoying an 18-game unbeaten run on the road against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership (W12 D6), keeping nine clean sheets in the process, winning each of the previous six.
The Steelmen have lost just one of their previous five league matches on home soil (W2 D2), despite failing to score in their previous two matches at Fir Park.
Rangers have won four consecutive away matches, netting 13 times in the process - no side has scored as many away goals as Rangers in the competition (36).
Josh Windass has been directly involved in 13 away goals for Rangers this season in the Scottish Premiership, a league high (nine goals, four assists).
Aberdeen v St Johnstone - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker
Aberdeen 2-0 St Johnstone
Key Player Scott McKenna
Great to see him perform so well for Scotland in recent double-header.
Ian Crocker
Aberdeen 2-0 St Johnstone
Key Player Stevie May
Will be hoping the law of scoring against your former club is applied.
Opta Stats
Aberdeen have won each of their last two Scottish Premiership matches against St Johnstone by a 3-0 scoreline. In fact, the Dons have kept four clean sheets in their last six league matches against St. Johnstone (W3 D2 L1).
The Saints have lost just one of their last six trips to Aberdeen in the top-flight (W3 D2) including a 5-1 victory back in October 2015.
Since losing back to back home matches against Motherwell and Rangers, Aberdeen have won five of their subsequent seven league games at the Pittodrie Stadium (D1 L1).
St. Johnstone have won just one of their last six league matches on the road (D2 L3), failing to score in four of those six games. However, they did win their most recent away clash, 4-0, at Dundee.
Adam Rooney has scored four goals in his last two matches against St. Johnstone. In fact, against only Motherwell (12) has he scored more goals than The Saints (8).
Celtic v Ross County - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker
Celtic 4-0 Ross County
Key Player Patrick Roberts
A fit Roberts will give Celtic a boost in their quest for back to back trebles.
Ian Crocker
Celtic 3-0 Ross County
Key Player Olivier Ntcham
Outstanding Old Firm performance and an eye for a goal.
Opta Stats
Celtic are unbeaten in 16 top-flight clashes against Ross County (W11 D5), conceding just eight goals during this period. In fact, Celtic have kept nine clean sheets in their previous 12 matches against the Staggies.
Ross County have never won in the Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park (D3 L6), losing 4-0 on their most recent trip.
Celtic have won just two of their previous five matches in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L1), failing to score in three of those games during this period.
The Staggies have won just one of their last 17 Scottish Premiership matches (D5 L11), conceding 32 goals in the process.
James Forrest is Celtic's top scorer at Celtic Park this season with five, including two braces, one of which came against Ross County in a 4-0 victory back in September.
Hibernian v Partick Thistle - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker
Hibernian 1-0 Partick Thistle
Key Player Darren McGregor
A fan who gives that bit extra for his team.
Ian Crocker
Hibernian 2-1 Partick Thistle
Key Player Florian Kamberi
Swiss striker has quickly made his presence felt in Leith
Opta Stats
Hibernian have never failed to score against Partick Thistle in the Scottish Premiership in their previous 14 meetings (W7 D4 L3).
Thistle's last away victory over Hibernian in the top-flight came back in May 2004 (2-1), drawing two of their three such visits to Easter Road (L1).
Hibernian are enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership (W4 D2), only bettered by Kilmarnock's current eight-game unbeaten run.
By contrast, Partick Thistle are currently enduring the longest winless run in the competition, six games - D2 L4).
Conor Sammon has scored five of Thistle's previous eight league goals.
Kilmarnock v Hamilton Accies - Saturday 3pm
Andy Walker
Kilmarnock 2-1 Hamilton Accies
Key Player Eamon Brophy
Needs to lift his game to keep with free-scoring Kris Boyd.
Ian Crocker-
Kilmarnock 2-0 Hamilton Accies
Key Player- Youssouf Mulumbu
Knows the score and pivotal to the team.
Opta Stats
Kilmarnock are unbeaten in their last six top-flight matches against Hamilton (W3 D3), having won just one of the previous five matches against the Accies (D1 L3).
Since losing back to back away matches against Kilmarnock in 2010 and 2014, The Accies have avoided defeat in all of their subsequent five such trips to Rugby Park in the top-flight (W3 D2).
Killie are currently enjoying the longest unbeaten run in the competition (eight games - W6 D2), losing just one of their previous 15 matches in the competition (W10 D4).
The Accies have won just one of their last seven away league games (D2 L4), conceding at least once in each of those matches.
The league's top goalscorer Kris Boyd (15), scored seven goals in his first four games against Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership, including a hattrick for Rangers in December 2008. However, the striker has managed just two goals against the Accies in nine appearances since and none in his previous four.
Dundee v Hearts - Live on Sky Football from 12pm Sunday
Andy Walker
Dundee 1-1 Hearts
Key Player John Souttar
So many given their opportunity with Alex McLeish's new look Scotland, Souttar should be next.
Ian Crocker-
Dundee 1-2 Hearts
Key Player Marcus Godinho
Only made debut this month but looks like he's been around for longer. Not alone in that at Hearts!
Opta Stats
Dundee have failed to score in four of their last six Scottish Premiership matches against Hearts (W2 L4).
Hearts have lost their previous two trips to Dens Park in the top-flight, as many defeats as in their previous 13 visits to Dundee (W5 D6).
Dundee have lost three consecutive league matches without scoring. The Dee last lost four consecutive Scottish Premiership matches without finding the back of the net between January and February 2013.
Hearts have won just one of their last eight league matches on the road (D3 L4), including back to back defeats 2-0 defeats in their last two away trips.
Steven Naismith has been directly involved in three of Hearts' last four Scottish Premiership goals (two goals, one assist).
