Walker and Crocker's Scottish Premiership Predictor
Friday 21 December 2018 10:51, UK
There are three different teams who could top the Scottish Premiership going into Christmas - with Celtic, Rangers and Kilmarnock all in contention, closely followed by Aberdeen.
Only nine points separate the top eight sides in the table as we go into the final fixtures before Christmas Day.
It is a different story at the other end, though, with Dundee and St Mirren both four points away from the safety of 10th place.
To take you through this weekend's fixtures we have the Sky Sports Scotland commentary team of Ian Crocker and Andy Walker.
Aberdeen vs Hearts - Saturday 3pm
Referee: John Beaton
Opta Stats
Aberdeen have only won one of their last five league games against Hearts (D2 L2), a 2-0 win in this exact fixture last season.
Hearts have not won, nor have they scored a single goal in any of their last four visits to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L2).
Aberdeen have won six of their last seven league games at Pittodrie (L1), scoring three or more goals in four of those wins. They had failed to win any of their previous four at home before this (D3 L1).
Following a run of three straight wins, Hearts have lost four of their last six away games in the Scottish Premiership, drawing one and winning the other.
Aberdeen's Stevie May has scored five goals in his last six Scottish Premiership starts against Hearts, albeit all of these goals were for former club St Johnstone.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Aberdeen 2-1 Hearts
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Stevie May: Time to deliver more goals and he has scored five in his last six league starts against Hearts.
Christophe Berra: Captain needs to haul his team-mates off the floor post-Livingston.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Aberdeen 1-1 Hearts
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Sam Cosgrove: Has taken his time to find his feet in the Aberdeen side, he`s a real threat now.
Steven MacLean: One of many who owe the club a big performance after last week`s humiliation at Livingston.
Celtic vs Dundee - Saturday 3pm
Referee: Euan Anderson
Opta Stats
Celtic have not conceded more than one goal against Dundee in a Scottish Premiership match since November 2004 and have not lost any of their last 30 such games against the Dee (W24 D6).
Dundee's only previous Scottish Premiership victory away at Celtic came back in May 2001 (2-0), (D3 L18).
Celtic have won eight consecutive home league games; they last embarked on a longer such winning run in February 2017 (16 games).
Dundee have lost four of their last five away league games (D1), shipping no less than 15 goals in this time.
Current Dundee striker Kenny Miller has netted nine goals in 16 Scottish Premiership matches against Celtic but he's yet to register his first strike against them for the Dee.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Celtic 3-0 Dundee
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
James Forrest: This could be his kind of game with Dundee reeling from Aberdeen thrashing.
Kenny Miller: Only the Millers are scoring for Dundee and Calvin can't play today.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Celtic 5-0 Dundee
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Mikey Johnson: Looks like the youngster will be getting more game time before the winter break, he`s lively enough to score a goal or two.
Cammy Kerr: Dundee have too many they can`t rely on but Kerr is pretty consistent.
Hamilton vs Kilmarnock - Saturday 3pm
Referee: Bobby Madden
Opta Stats
Hamilton are winless in each of their last nine games against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership (D4 L5), last emerging victorious back in January 2016 (1-0).
Kilmarnock have won on five of their last six visits to Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership (D1), last losing a top-flight match there back in April 2010 (3-0).
Hamilton have not drawn a Scottish top-flight match at home since November 2017, winning six and losing 13 of their last 19 such games.
Kilmarnock are looking to avoid falling to back-to-back away league defeats for the first time this season, last doing so in the competition back in May.
Kilmarnock forward Kris Boyd has netted 10 goals against Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership, though has only found the net once in his last seven such matches against the Accies.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Hamilton 1-3 Kilmarnock
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
James Keatings: Might be able to produce a moment of magic for Accies
Greg Stewart: Having a great season and should have another big say in this game.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Hamilton 1-2 Kilmarnock
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Scott McMann: Hamilton need men who`ll last the course in their relegation fight, McMann has a good attitude.
Kirk Broadfoot: His experience is working well for an impressive Kilmarnock side.
Hibernian vs Livingston - Saturday 3pm
Referee: Greg Aitken
Opta Stats
Hibernian, who lost 1-2 the last time these sides met, have not lost back-to-back Scottish Premiership matches against Livingston since January 2004.
This is Livingston's first top-flight visit to Hibernian since February 2006, a match they ended up losing 7-0 - the Lions' heaviest ever defeat in the competition.
Hibs have only lost once in their last 19 home games in the Scottish Premiership (W12 D6).
Livingston have lost each of their last four away games in the Scottish Premiership, the longest current such run in the competition.
Daryl Horgan is the only current Hibernian player to have netted a Scottish Premiership goal against Livingston - putting his side ahead in the last such meeting between the sides before falling to a 1-2 defeat. It remains his only league goal for the club to date.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Hibernian 1-0 Livingston
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Daryl Horgan: Great energy and capable of making things happen
Ryan Hardie: Making up for lost time after injury and another attacking option for Gary Holt.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Hibernian 1-1 Livingston
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Ryan Porteous: Really impressed with him last weekend against Celtic but deserved a red against Rangers, temperament is so important in a developing player.
Dolly Menga: Leads the line so well for his club and scored a memorable goal in their five-goal demolition of Hearts.
Motherwell vs St Mirren - Saturday 3pm
Referee: Don Robertson
Opta Stats
Motherwell and St Mirren have not played out a draw in the Scottish Premiership since April 2013, with the home side winning six as opposed to St Mirren's two in the last eight such meetings.
St Mirren have not scored a single goal in any of their last three visits to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, losing all three matches.
Should Motherwell avoid defeat, it will be their longest unbeaten home run in the Scottish Premiership since January 2016 (four matches).
St Mirren are winless in their last nine top-flight away games, drawing two whilst losing the other seven.
Adam Hammill has had a direct hand in each of St Mirren's last four league goals, netting one whilst setting up each of their last three in the competition.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Motherwell 1-0 St Mirren
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Danny Johnson: Four goals in last five games makes him first-pick striker in these kind of games
Cammy MacPherson: Youngster must be buzzing after goal against Aberdeen.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Curtis Main: Not as prolific as last season but still working hard; the goals will come again.
Cameron MacPherson: Good to see the teenager get on the scoresheet against Aberdeen.
St Johnstone vs Rangers - Sunday 12.15pm
Referee: Nick Walsh
Opta Stats
St Johnstone have only won one of their last 15 matches against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L11), a 3-1 win at Ibrox in December 2017.
Rangers have not lost away at St Johnstone in the top-flight since March 2010, winning seven of their last eight away games at McDiarmid Park.
St Johnstone have not lost back-to-back home games in the Scottish Premiership since January (v Dundee and Partick Thistle).
Rangers are unbeaten in their last five away league games, winning three (D2), after having failed to win any of their previous eight on their travels in the Scottish Premiership.
St Johnstone's Blair Alston has netted two goals in his last three games against Rangers, though both goals did come in matches played at Ibrox.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: St Johnstone 0-2 Rangers
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Blair Alston: Two goals in his last three games against Rangers and capable of the spectacular.
Borna Barisic: Free from injury he has a lot to offer down the left.
Andy Walker's Prediction: St Johnstone 1-2 Rangers
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Scott Tanser: The Englishman is fitting in well to Tommy Wright`s side.
Alfredo Morelos: Impressive performance against Hibs but too many missed chances. has to find that killer instinct again.
