Friday 14 December 2018 16:03, UK
Sky Sports Scotland's commentary team of Ian Crocker and Andy Walker look at the six Premiership fixtures this weekend.
Referee: Nick Walsh
Opta Stats
Livingston are winless in their last 13 top-flight matches against Hearts (D5 L8) since a 3-2 win in May 2002.
Hearts have won each of their last four trips to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership, after having not won any of their first four in the competition prior to this (W2 D2).
This will be Livingston's second ever Scottish Premiership game played on a Friday, after a 5-1 loss at Celtic in April 2002, whilst Hearts are winless in their last five league games on this day (D1 L4) since winning 3-1 at Motherwell in September 2016.
Hearts ended a run of six Scottish Premiership games without a victory (D2 L4) by beating Motherwell 1-0 last time out - they will be aiming to win back-to-back league games for the first time since October.
Three of the last four goals Hearts have conceded in the Scottish Premiership have come from set-piece situations (1 penalty, 1 free kick and 1 corner).
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Livingston 1-1 Hearts
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Scott Pittman: Making a goalscoring contribution from midfield and a consistent performer.
Peter Haring: Austrian has proved to be an excellent buy for Craig Levein.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Livingston 0-1 Hearts
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Ryan Hardie: Looking for valuable game time on loan from Rangers.
Oliver Bozanic: Capable of goals and assists from midfield.
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Opta Stats
Kilmarnock have lost just one of their last 11 Scottish Premiership matches against Dundee (W4 D6), a 0-1 defeat in May 2017.
Since winning three consecutive top-flight trips to Rugby Park between April 2013 and August 2015, Dundee have won just one of their last five visits there in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L2), a 1-0 victory in May 2017.
Kilmarnock conceded five goals last time out, losing 1-5 against Celtic; they conceded as many goals in that match as they had done in their previous eight Scottish Premiership matches (also 5).
Dundee have picked up six points from their last four Scottish Premiership games (W1 D3) - more than they managed in their previous 13 Scottish Premiership games (3 points - W1 D0 L12).
Kenny Miller has scored in each of his last four Scottish Premiership appearances for Dundee (6 goals).
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Kilmarnock 2-1 Dundee
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Eamonn Brophy: Proving to be a real handful and bringing goals to the party.
Kenny Miller: You just can't argue with 6 goals in 4 games.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Kilmarnock 3-1 Dundee
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Chris Burke: Good to see him back playing so well.
Glen Kamara: Clever midfielder who can make things tick for Jim McIntyre's men.
Referee: Alan Muir
Opta Stats
St. Johnstone have lost just one of their last 10 Scottish Premiership games against Motherwell (W7 D2), a 0-2 defeat back in February courtesy of goals from Allan Campbell and Curtis Main.
Motherwell are winless in their last nine trips to McDiarmid Park in the top-flight (D2 L7) since a 3-1 victory in November 2012, scoring just five goals during this period and never more than one in a single game.
St. Johnstone are unbeaten in eight Scottish Premiership games (W6 D2), keeping seven clean sheets and conceding just two goals in total during this period.
Motherwell have lost five of their last six league games away from home (W1), including each of their last three.
Seven of the last eight goals St. Johnstone have conceded in the Scottish Premiership have come in the first half, with the only exception being an 84th minute strike from Celtic's Callum McGregor.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: St Johnstone 1-1 Motherwell
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Blair Alston: Back with a bang and he can certainly finish in style.
Charles Dunne: A season disrupted by injuries that are hopefully behind him.
Andy Walker's Prediction: St Johnstone 0-0 Motherwell
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Richard Foster: Highly consistent defender helping his team charge up the table.
Connor Sammon: Can he recapture the goalscoring form we all know he's got?
Referee: Greg Aitken
Opta Stats
St. Mirren have failed to win any of their previous 14 Scottish Premiership matches against Aberdeen (D8 L6) since a 1-0 victory back in July 2011.
Aberdeen are unbeaten in their last six trips to St. Mirren in the top-flight (W3 D3), winning each of their last two visits to St. Mirren Park whilst keeping clean sheets in both matches.
St. Mirren have won just one of their last 16 top-flight games (D3 L12), a 2-0 victory against Hearts in November.
Aberdeen have won just two of their last seven away games in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L3), however those two victories have come in their last three such games (L1).
Adam Hammill has been involved in six of St Mirren's last eight league goals (4 goals, 2 assists).
Ian Crocker's Prediction: St Mirren 0-2 Aberdeen
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Adam Hammill: May need to come up with even more magic to aid the cause.
Lewis Ferguson: You can see why Derek McInnes was keen to sign him.
Andy Walker's Prediction: St Mirren 0-1 Aberdeen
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Matthew Willock: On loan from Man Utd, he should be capable of having a greater influence on games.
Andrew Considine: Always consistent no matter where he's asked to play.
Referee: Don Robertson
Opta Stats
Hibernian have won just one of their last nine Scottish Premiership matches against Celtic (D3 L5), however that victory did come the last time they faced them at Easter Road in the competition in April of last season (2-1).
Celtic have won just one of their last five away top-flight matches against Hibernian (D2 L2) having won five consecutive Scottish Premiership games at Easter Road prior to this run.
Since their 6-0 home victory against Hamilton in October, Hibernian have failed to win their last three league games at Easter Road (D2 L1), drawing each of the last two 2-2 (against Dundee and St. Mirren).
Celtic are unbeaten in nine Scottish Premiership games since their 1-2 defeat against Kilmarnock in September (W7 D2).
Hibernian's Stephen Mallan has scored four goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, with each of those strikes coming from outside of the box.
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Hibernian 2-3 Celtic
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Efe Ambrose: Will need to stand firm to deny and defy his former club.
James Forrest: Set the tone against Kilmarnock to move into double figures at club level.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Hibernian 1-2 Celtic
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Adam Bogdan: Hibs need a big performance from this man if they're to get anything against the league leaders.
Craig Gordon: A brilliant first half display against RB Salzburg followed by a horrible mistake in the second half. Still a top class keeper.
Referee: Euan Anderson
Opta Stats
Rangers have won 14 of their 16 Scottish Premiership games against Hamilton (D1 L1), including each of the last two by an aggregate score line of 9-4.
Hamilton's only victory against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership came in their last visit to Ibrox in November 2017 (2-0), having failed to win any of their previous six away matches against them in the competition (D1 L5).
Rangers were beaten 1-0 by Aberdeen in their last Scottish Premiership game at Ibrox, ending a run of 10 home league matches without defeat (W9 D1) - they last lost consecutive home fixtures in the top-flight back in March.
Hamilton have lost four of their last five Scottish Premiership games (W1), failing to score in each of those defeats.
James Tavernier has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight appearances for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership (3 goals, 5 assists).
Ian Crocker's Prediction: Rangers 2-0 Hamilton
Ian Crocker's Key Men:
Glenn Middleton: A lively presence who is making the most of his Ibrox chance.
Darian McKinnon: Will certainly let Rangers know he's there.
Andy Walker's Prediction: Rangers 3-0 Hamilton
Andy Walker's Key Men:
Scott Arfield: Rangers need his goalscoring threat from midfield.
Gary Woods: Will undoubtedly be busy against a Rangers side looking for improvement.
