Club football is back! Oh, how I have missed the Scottish Premiership! Following on from a disappointing international break for Scotland, the top flight finally returns after a long three-week absence. As usual, it looks to be a weekend filled with goals, drama and entertainment, with clashes at both ends of the table on display. Who will come out on top?
Dundee United Vs Hibernian
Previous Fixtures: 3-3, 1-1, 2-3
We’ll start with a clash at the bottom end of the table as Dundee United host a Hibs side under new management. Both have endured tough starts to the season, particularly Hibs, who sit one point behind United in tenth place.
United come out of the international break on a high, having beaten St. Mirren 3-0. Players such as Jesse Randall and Will Ferry have been crucial in their start to the season, whilst blockbuster signing Zidane Iqbal has settled in nicely and was solid in the previously mentioned win in Paisley. Having started poorly, they have now found some form and look to be on track for a solid season.
Bar a dramatic win against Rangers and a place in the League Cup semi-finals, it has been a gloomy season for Hibs fans. With David Gray sacked after a 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock at home, Marink Reedijk has come in to replace the club legend. Having had two weeks to work with the team, the Dutchman has had plenty of time to settle in and get to know his players. In the past couple of days, the club also announced the signing of former Rangers man Rabbi Matondo, a brilliant signing that adds some attacking quality.
Whilst there is a positive atmosphere around Hibs at the moment, it is very unlikely that Reedijk will come in and instantly turn around the results, leaving me to believe this will be a very close affair between the two teams.
The Prediction: Dundee United 2-2 Hibernian
Falkirk Vs Dundee
Previous Fixtures: 2-1, 0-1, 1-0
Next up, a lacklustre Falkirk play host to a Dundee side that have surprised many with their start to the season. The Bairns sit 11th in the table following a run of poor results, whereas Dundee have had a rather surprising start, sitting fourth in the table with ten points.
Whilst their results are poor on paper, Falkirk have performed well in some of these losses, particularly against Rangers, where they were very unlucky not to come away empty handed.
Their problems seemingly stem from the lack of an attacking threat, with the losses of Calvin Miller and Barney Stewart having a heavy effect. If players such as Jacob Murrell and Ross MacIver can find their feet, they will have a solid chance of turning the team’s form around.
On the other hand, Dundee have been very impressive despite being written off by many before the season had even started. Their three losses in the league came in close affairs with Celtic, Hibs and Hearts, games in which Stephen Pressley’s side performed very well and should have come out with more than a loss. Players such as Joe Westley and Bradley Fink have performed exceptionally well, particularly in the absence of captain Simon Murray. They have a good squad that works well with each other and it would not surprise me if they are pushing for a top six spot come the end of the season.
Dundee are clearly the side in a much better position going into this match. I think Pressley’s players will keep up the form and come out as winners over Falkirk.
The Prediction: Falkirk 1-2 Dundee
Hearts Vs St. Mirren
Previous Fixtures: 2-2, 2-0, 0-1
Having both started the season in fine form, Hearts and St. Mirren seem to have cooled off, with Hearts losing to Falkirk and scraping a draw against Kilmarnock in their previous matches, whilst St. Mirren have lost their last three matches. It’s a top half battle as Hearts currently sit third, just three points behind Rangers, whilst the Saints are fifth following their great start to the season.
Although they have had poor results in their last two league games, Hearts are still on track to be competing for the league title once again. Their loss against Falkirk was unlucky and in their draw with Kilmarnock, they had the majority of opportunities and were simply wasteful.
Their attack is arguably one of the best in the country, with players such as Claudio Braga, Calvin Miller and Josh McPake all performing very well to start the season. With this star power , they will have no worries about a poor couple of games and I tip them to find their form this weekend and put the past two games behind them.
St. Mirren surprised a lot of people with their start to the season, gaining ten points from a possible 12 in their first four games. Since their win against Kilmarnock over a month ago, however, they have not won a game and now sit fifth in the table, having sat second after those first four matches. With a 3-0 thumping from Dundee United still fresh in their minds, this game will be a test for the Saints, especially against such formidable opponents.
The Buddies have already had a season of two halves and with their poor form coming up against the pure talent of this Hearts team, it is hard to see the Saints picking up anything from this match.
The Prediction: Hearts 3-1 St. Mirren
Rangers Vs Kilmarnock
Previous Fixtures: 5-1, 3-0, 3-1
Rangers and Kilmarnock are another pair of teams who started the season poorly, yet both seemed to have turned their form around, with Kilmarnock unbeaten in their last three league matches whilst Rangers have won five in a row in the top flight.
Derek McInnes’ side are now arguably the best team in the country, winning their last six matches in all competitions whilst beating bitter rivals Celtic twice in their last two. Having started poorly in the league along with a shock exit from European competition, the team has turned it around and now are in a great position to challenge for the league. With players such as Ryan Naderi hitting form when they needed it most, it will be hard to stop this team following the confidence they will have gained from this fantastic set of results. A win here and a Celtic loss would also put them top of the table, a sight many would not have expected just over a month ago.
Another team that started the league season poorly, Kilmarnock, have managed to close the gap at the bottom of the table and are now just one point behind Falkirk. Their points were hard-fought but deserved, with a win away at Hibs the pinnacle performance. Their display against Hearts was solid as well, keeping them from scoring until the dying stages of the game, although you could argue they were lucky due to the wastefulness of the Hearts attackers.
These results do signify a turn for a team that has struggled so far; however, I think this Rangers team will just be too good for Kilmarnock.
Rangers are now the most in-form team in the league, having won their last five matches and are now hot on the tail of Celtic, who sit first in the table. Kilmarnock have done well to pick up points in their last three games, yet they are still nowhere near the level of Rangers, who should win this one comfortably.
The Prediction: Rangers 4-1 Kilmarnock
Motherwell Vs Celtic
Previous Fixtures: 2-0, 1-3, 2-3
It has been nearly five months since these sides last met, where Celtic edged out as winners in a game riddled with controversy. Five months on from the drama of Fir Park, both teams are in different positions, with Motherwell struggling to find consistency under a new manager whilst it seems to be panic stations at Celtic.
It seems to be that every team in the league has either started the season well and lost form or started poorly and found some form. Motherwell are no different, having gone unbeaten in their first four matches before losing the next three, including a 4-0 thumping from an out-of-form Aberdeen team. They clearly have the talent and squad to be able to compete at the level they achieved last season; it is just about trying to find consistency under a new manager. This weekend’s match is a massive opportunity for Alfred Johansson to make a statement and bring them back up the table where they belong.
Having started well domestically, it seems to have fallen apart in just a week for Celtic as they lost twice to Rangers, with the misery piled on by a Europa League loss to Ferencvaros. The pressure is very much on Martin O’Neill, last season’s saviour who brought the league title back to Parkhead once again. With these poor results still looming over the team, this game seems massive and could potentially be a make-or-break game that decides O’Neill’s future at the club. Whilst they are still the favourites going into this, their performances recently, even in wins, have been very lacklustre and not like the Celtic we saw at the tail end of last season.
The matches between these two teams last season were pure entertainment and I predict this to be no different. Both went into the international break off the back of a poor run of games and I think that it will be a game that will go down to the wire, with the points shared between the two.
The Prediction: Motherwell 2-2 Celtic
Aberdeen Vs St. Johnstone
Previous Fixtures: 2-1, 1-1, 0-0
Two of the league’s most northern teams go head-to-head for the first time in over a year, with both sitting equal on eight points and having something to prove following mixed starts to the season.
Aberdeen are yet again another team with a mixed start to the season, having made it to the League Cup semi-finals whilst having some poor results in the league. Having brought in over 11 new players, it was always going to take time for the new team to settle in and find their rhythm. With a 4-0 win against Motherwell in their second-to-last game, there are very positive signs for Stephen Robinson. They have, however, been very inconsistent with their performances as their last game was a 1-1 draw with a managerless Hibs.
St. Johnstone, on the other hand, have enjoyed a much more positive start relative to their expectations. With wins against Hibs and Kilmarnock backed up by draws and a very positive performance in a close loss to Celtic, they have surprised many and seem to be a force to reckon with in the league. Josh Fowler has also started the season well, sitting top of the goalscoring charts with four goals. It is looking very positive for the Saints and I expect them to keep up their good form.
With both teams sitting level in the table, it will most likely be a close match. I’d argue, however, that St. Johnstone have been the better of the two on a regular basis, leading me to tip them to just beat the Dons.
The Prediction: Aberdeen 1-2 St. Johnstone
Leave a Reply