The Ultimate Showdown in the Scottish Premiership: Who Claims Victory This Weekend?

It promises to be another entertaining weekend in the Scottish Premiership with plenty at stake.

There is a full Saturday fixture card with Motherwell hosting leaders Celtic in the early kick-off.

Rangers have a significant weekend ahead as Michael Beale seeks a crucial performance against Aberdeen, who recently put an end to their streak of not winning.

St Mirren aims to sustain their flawless start in the league when they visit Kilmarnock, while St Johnstone confronts Livingston with a dire need for points to prevent being left behind at the bottom so early in the season.

Here we take a look at what's at stake...

Will Celtic extend their lead at the top?

If Celtic defeat Motherwell in Saturday's early kick-off, they have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to five points. Manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that the team is approaching the standard he desires, as they have remained unbeaten in the league this season.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart will be absent from the upcoming match following his dismissal with a red card in the previous game against Livingston. However, there is good news as defender Nat Phillips is predicted to make a comeback from his injury.

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Callum Slattery is Motherwell's top scorer this season

Motherwell, who started the season with three consecutive wins, have faced consecutive defeats, hampering their early success. Despite being only six points behind Celtic in fourth place, they have been unable to defeat the leading team at Fir Park since 2013.

Can Rangers impress against Aberdeen?

Michael Beale has been under pressure but Rangers have the chance to make it five wins from their last five games when they host Aberdeen.

The manager acknowledged that their performance in the 1-0 win against Motherwell last weekend was below par. However, they bounced back with a convincing 4-0 victory over Livingston in the Viaplay Cup at home during the week.

Following a disappointing beginning to the season, the Dons have emerged victorious in their last two matches, both in the Scottish Premiership and League Cup, against Ross County.

Barry Robson's side are yet to win away from home and it could be a tough afternoon against the side with the best defensive record in the league this season.

Will St Mirren remain unbeaten?

St Mirren are currently having their strongest league start since 1948 and currently occupy the second position, trailing Celtic by just two points. Despite remaining undefeated in the Scottish Premiership, they are determined to recover from their recent exclusion from the Viaplay Cup by Hibernian as they venture to Rugby Park.

Kilmarnock's cup run came to an end as they suffered a home defeat to Hearts during the week. Despite their surprising victory against Rangers on the season's first day, Derek McInnes' team has been unable to secure a win in the league and currently holds the eighth position.

Can Montgomery's impressive start continue?

Hibernian will be looking to maintain their unbeaten start under new manager Nick Montgomery when they host Dundee on Saturday.

They can make it three straight wins after following up their 2-0 victory against St Johnstone by knocking St Mirren out of the Viaplay Cup to progress to the semi-finals.

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Tony Docherty took charge of Dundee in the summer

Dundee have only suffered one defeat in their previous four games, which occurred against Celtic on the road. However, despite this, they currently find themselves in ninth place with only one victory in the ongoing season.

The teams have not crossed paths since May 2022 when Dundee emerged victorious with a 3-1 win in that particular match at Dens Park.

Can Ross County claim a rare win over Hearts?

Ross County will look to end a run of three straight defeats in all competitions when they host Hearts.

After succumbing to a 4-0 loss against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, they faced another blow as the Dons eliminated them from the Viaplay Cup in the middle of the week. However, Heads are now heading to the Global Energy Stadium with elevated spirits following their triumph over Kilmarnock, securing their spot in the League Cup semi-finals.

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Hearts are through to the Scottish League Cup semi finals

The Jambos have experienced a mixed start to the Scottish Premiership season and sit sixth, ahead of County on goal difference.

Will St Johnstone's winless run end?

The Perth side are bottom of the table on two points after four defeats and two draws so far.

Livi sit 10th with just one league win and were knocked out of the Viaplay Cup by Rangers in midweek.

No team has faced more shots on target this season than St Johnstone, but Livingston and Ross County have conceded more goals.

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