Friday 24 November 2017 17:09, UK
This week in Scottish started with an Edinburgh derby being drawn out of the hat for an unthinkable third straight time at the fourth round stage.
The other standout tie of the round included Rangers travelling to the very north of Scotland to face Fraserburgh, with the Highland League side keen to keep the fixture at their Bellslea Park.
Champions Celtic host Brechin City while Aberdeen are to welcome Jack Ross' St Mirren to Pittodrie.
Attention then turned from our national cup competition to European football as Celtic felt the full force of PSG star-studded squad in Paris. Despite taking the lead after a minute, it was a humbling 7-1 defeat in the Parc des Princes.
Celtic now turn their focus to Sunday's Betfred Cup final against Motherwell, who themselves geared up for the game with a 2-0 win against second-placed Aberdeen last weekend.
Derek McInnes' next distraction from speculation continuing to link him as the favourite to be the next Ranges manager is to lead his Aberdeen squad to take on Steve Clarke's resurgent Kilmarnock- Live on Sky Sports Football on Sunday from 12pm.
There are just the four Scottish Premiership matches this weekend with Partick Thistle and St Johnstone having a free weekend due to Sunday's League Cup final at Hampden.
Sky Sports commentary team Andy Walker and Ian Crocker guide you through the Premiership fixtures and who to look out for in Sunday's showpiece.
Dundee v Rangers - Friday 7.45pm
Scottish Premiership
Andy Walker
Dundee 1-2 Rangers
Key Player - Alfredo Morelos
The Colombian the hasn't scored in nine games but he showed his quality earlier in the season so will find scoring boots soon
Ian Crocker
Dundee 1-2 Rangers
Key Player - Ryan Jack
Time for Rangers to dig deep after a shock loss to Hamilton last week.
Opta Stats
Dundee have won just one of their last 18 Scottish Premiership matches against Rangers (D2 L15); in fact, the Dee have won just three of the 29 matches they have played against Rangers in the top-flight (D4 L22), failing to score in 15 of those meetings.
Rangers last trip to the Dee in February 2017 ended in a 2-1 defeat, having previously never lost to Dundee in a top-flight match at Dens Park (P14 W10 D4).
Dundee's 0-0 draw at home to Kilmarnock was their first league clean sheet at Dens Park in 2017; they haven't had back-to-back home shutouts in the Scottish Premiership since May 2004.
Rangers are yet to lose away from home in the Scottish Premiership this season (P6 W5 D1), and are unbeaten in their last 11 top-flight games on their travels (W8 D3). They last went longer without an away loss in the division back in October 2011 (14 games).
No player has more away goals in the Scottish Premiership than Rangers' Graham Dorrans (five, level with Louis Moult) and no player has more assists on their travels than James Tavernier (four, level with Chris Cadden).
Hamilton Accies v Hibernian - Saturday 3pm
Scottish Premiership
Andy Walker
Hamilton Accies 1-2 Hibernian
Key Player - Simon Murray
Stepped up when Anthony Stokes was out of the team, now he's back alongside his strike partner and they're looking dangerous.
Ian Crocker
Hamilton Accies 0-2 Hibernian
Key Player - Anthony Stokes
Back in business with a late penalty against St Johnstone last week.
Opta Stats
Hamilton have won each of their last three matches against Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership; previously they had only beaten Hibs twice in the competition (P8 D1 L5).
Hibernian have lost three of their last four trips to New Douglas Park in the Scottish Premiership (W1) having won on each of their two previous visits.
The Accies have conceded more goals at home than any other side in the Scottish top-flight this season (14); indeed, they haven't picked up three points at the SuperSeal Stadium since their opening home league game of the season against Dundee (P6 D2 L4 since).
Meanwhile, Hibs are on a seven-game unbeaten run on the road in the Scottish Premiership (W4 D3), their best ever run in the competition.
Rakish Bingham scored twice in these sides' first league meeting this season in August, but has scored just once in 10 top-flight games since then.
Hearts v Ross County - Saturday 3pm
Scottish Premiership
Andy Walker
Hearts 2-2 Ross County
Key Player - Chris Eagles
Good option for Owen Coyle to sign someone of Eagles' experience having played in the Premier League.
Ian Crocker
Hearts 2-2 Ross County
Key Player - Jamie Walker
Back from injury to add a bit of craft to the proceedings.
Opta Stats
Hearts have won just one of their last five league matches against Ross County (D3 L1); previously they had won five consecutive Scottish Premiership matches against the Staggies, scoring 11 in the process and conceding just twice.
The Staggies claimed their first away victory in the Scottish Premiership against Hearts the last time the two sides met at Tynecastle Park (1-0 in March 2017); previously Ross County had failed to claim a single away victory in seven attempts in the division (D4 L3).
Hearts are currently enduring their worst winless run of the season in the league (four games; D1 L3); they last went longer without victory across a single season on the final game of last season (six games).
Ross County have won just one of their last five top-flight games on their travels (D1 L3), failing to score in three of those games and netting just three goals overall.
Esmael Gonçalves, who scored the opener in Hearts' 2-1 win at Ross County earlier this season, has found the net in back-to-back league games for the first time since his opening two matches of the season; he last scored in three consecutive matches back in May.
Kilmarnock v Aberdeen - Live on Sky Football Sunday 12pm
Scottish Premiership
Andy Walker
Kilmarnock 0-1 Aberdeen
Key Player - Adam Rooney
Despite the signing of Stevie May in the summer, Rooney is still Aberdeen's top scorer and doing the business at the top end of the park.
Ian Crocker
Kilmarnock 1-2 Aberdeen
Key Player - Ryan Christie
Could be the man to unlock an organised defence.
Opta Stats
Killie have lost 13 of their last 15 Scottish Premiership matches against Aberdeen (D2); in fact, they have won just one of their last 19 matches against the Dons (D4 L14).
Aberdeen are on a nine-match unbeaten run at Rugby Park (W7 D2); indeed, they have won their previous six consecutive away matches against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, keeping four clean sheets in the process.
Kilmarnock are the only side yet to win any of their home games in the Scottish Premiership this season (P7 D2 L5); they have never gone this long without a home win at the start of a season in the competition.
Whilst Kilmarnock are one of just two sides yet to keep a home clean sheet in the Scottish Premiership this season (also Ross County), only Celtic (six) have had more shutouts on the road than visitors Aberdeen (three).
Although he is yet to score in any of his 12 league games so far this season, Rory McKenzie has scored two goals in his last three games against Aberdeen; against no other side has he scored more in the top-flight for Kilmarnock (also two against Dundee).
Motherwell v Celtic - Sunday 3pm
Scottish League Cup Final
Andy Walker
Motherwell 1-2 Celtic
Key Player - Stuart Armstrong
A likely starter with a tremendous goal threat from midfield as Celtic try to bounce back from the humiliation of 7-1 defeat to PSG.
Ian Crocker
Motherwell 1-2 Celtic
Key Player- Louis Moult (Motherwell) & Moussa Dembele (Celtic)
Moult and Motherwell will fancy their chances of ending Celtic's domestic bliss. Celtic always seem to find a way, though this one might be tight!
Stats
Motherwell will have to end Celtic's record 64-game domestic unbeaten run if they are to lift the trophy on Sunday.
The Steelmen last managed a victory against Celtic in December 2015 when Louis Moult scored twice to give them a 2-1 win in Glasgow.
Only three teams have beaten Celtic since that game in 2015 (Ross County, Aberdeen and St Johnstone).
Motherwell's last major trophy came in 1991 when they were 4-3 winners against Dundee United in the Scottish Cup final.
Celtic's 4-3 win at Fir Park in December last year was the only time they have conceded three goals in 90 minutes since a 3-3 draw against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
