Can Hearts remain top with Edinburgh derby win?
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Highlights from a five-goal thriller as Hibernian beat Hearts in their last league meeting
It is the Scottish Premiership title race that is refusing to follow the old script, with Hearts continuing to lead the way at the summit.
However, after suffering just their third league defeat of the season in last Tuesday’s trip to St Mirren, can Derek McInnes’ side respond against their city rivals seven days later?
Hearts will continue to be without the injured duo of Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin, while Craig Halkett, who scored the winner in the sides’ last Tynecastle meeting, is suspended as the Jambos picked up another red card in that Paisley loss.
McInnes insists his side face “13 cup finals” between now and the end of the season if they’re to be crowned champions, but insists there is no “extra anxiety” amid the tense title-race battle.
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Derek McInnes dismisses talk around title-race “anxiety” and that his Hearts side have a discipline issue after another red card in their defeat at St Mirren
With both sides having a free weekend after being knocked out of the Scottish Cup, Hibernian come into the game following a dramatic victory over Dundee United as new signing Ante Suto scored a 93rd-minute winner.
He will be one of many new faces heading from Easter Road to Georgie for their first taste of the derby – and head coach David Gray hopes his Hibs squad can stay “calm in the chaos” and enjoy the fixture.
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David Gray hopes Hibs can be “calm in the chaos” of the Edinburgh derby in the Scottish Premiership as they visit the league leaders Hearts
Hibs might be 15 points adrift of their rivals heading into this fixture but with three wins in their last four meetings league against Hearts – they will be confident.
Added to that, only Rangers (22) have more points than Hibs (14) in the league since Christmas. Should they win again, they’ll move to within one point of fourth-place Motherwell.
It remains to be seen if the leaders will come out on top on derby day, or if their rivals will dent their title hopes. Either way, it is more than just bragging rights at stake.
Rangers on a Röhl but Fir Park test awaits
Wednesday 11th February 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Just a few months ago, Rangers’ previous boss Russell Martin needed a police escort to leave Falkirk’s stadium as the Ibrox club dropped down the table. Everything was pointing towards a two-horse title race between Hearts and Celtic.
However, replacing him with Danny Röhl has transformed the Ibrox side into genuine title contenders who are unbeaten in their last eight league games.
Rangers have the most points of any club in the league since Danny Rohl took over
That run, which has seen Rangers pick up more points than any other club, started with a 1-0 win over Wednesday’s opponents.
Seven wins have seen Rangers move into second spot, just three adrift of Hearts and three clear of Celtic – albeit their Old Firm rivals have a game in hand.
New signings have impressed too, with three of them scoring in Rangers’ last two outings. The feelgood factor is back – but will it last?
Motherwell have been known for their attacking, possession-based and free-flowing football this season under boss Jens Berthel Askou.
Tawanda Maswanhise is the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership
However, the other thing that is just as impressive is their Fir Park form. At home, Motherwell have kept a clean sheet in each of their last nine home matches – eight of them being in the league.
“First of all, as long as we have the ball, it’s difficult for the opposition to score unless we put it in the back of the net ourselves, which we haven’t done,” Askou pointed out.
Motherwell have not conceded a goal at Fir Park in their last nine matches
“The other thing is, if we have the ball a lot, they spend a lot of energy on chasing it and defending against us. If we then pose a threat at the same time, then they spend even more energy on trying to make sure we don’t create chances and score goals.”
Should Motherwell pick up a famous Fir Park win on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, then are they in the title race? Perhaps they should be if they’re within a point of those above come full-time.
There’s an even head-to-head when you look at the last six league meetings, with two wins apiece and the other two being drawn. Something has to give and the stakes for both couldn’t be higher.
O’Neill’s landmark night but will Ox get debut?
Martin O’Neill is set to take charge of his 200th league game of Celtic over three spells
For title rivals Celtic, they are at home to bottom-side Livingston on what will be a significant night for Martin O’Neill.
The 73-year-old – in his second interim spell this season – takes charge of his 200th league game. He has won 163 of them so far, the most of any Hoops boss.
Many of Celtic’s highlights this season under O’Neill have involved Benjamin Nygren, who has scored in each of the club’s last four league games. The last player to net in five consecutive Premiership outings in his first season at the club was Scott Sinclair a decade ago.
From debut seasons to debut matches, will Celtic fans get their first glimpse of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in action?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has signed an initial deal until the end of this season at Celtic
The former Arsenal and Liverpool player – who joined on Saturday – has been training with the Premier League leaders, but it remains to be seen if he can hit the ground running after just a few days.
Meanwhile, Livingston know they’ll need to produce the biggest performance of their season if they’re to get a win.
David Martindale (R) is now Livingston’s sporting director, with Marvin Bartley stepping up from assistant to manager
The Almondvale club are winless in their last 23 league games and firmly rooted to the foot of the table.
Marvin Bartley is now in charge, with former boss David Martindale moving upstairs, but the new man in the dugout will face the same old task that those before him have failed at. They have not beaten Celtic in any of their last 22 trips to Glasgow.
The odds are stacked against the visitors, and the home crowd will expect a big win to help keep the pressure on their title rivals.
Battle at the bottom
Two of the three clubs above Livingston meet in Ayrshire as Kilmarnock face St Mirren.
The hosts, now managed by Neil McCann, have just one league win in 18 outings. The good news is, that one victory came during their last game at Rugby Park, as they beat Aberdeen 3-0.
Another win at home could see them move nine points clear of the bottom spot, and just three adrift of those above as they look to move out of the relegation play-off spot.
Kilmarnock are six points clear of bottom side Livingston as they bid to move out of the relegation play-off spot
Standing in their way of doing that are a St Mirren side who have picked up just six points away from home all season, and are winless in their last eight league outings on the road. Only bottom-side Livingston have a lower points tally over that period.
You need to go back to May 2013, when the Saints were managed by Danny Lennon, for the last time they won in the top-flight at Kilmarnock – can that unwanted run end on Wednesday?
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St Mirren won their last league game as they beat league leaders Hearts
Elsewhere, Dundee are also in that battle at the bottom end of the table but will be hoping they can put their own away-day struggles behind them at Falkirk.
Steven Pressley’s side have just one win on the road all season, and have scored the fewest of any club with five goals.
John McGlynn’s Falkirk take on Steven Pressley’s Dundee
Both league meetings have been won the home team this season, and Falkirk will hope that trend continues as they bid to strengthen their grip on the top-six.
The Bairns, promoted in the summer, have won five of their last eight league games and if another is added to that tally on Wednesday, they could move level on points with Hibs, should they lose to Hearts the night before.
Who will win ‘New Firm derby’ to boost top-six hopes?
Aberdeen and Dundee United are in a battle to try finish in the top-six
While Falkirk are the team to catch for that final top-six spot, Dundee United and Aberdeen will not have given up hope just yet.
They both have a game in hand and meet at Tannadice Park, where the hosts have an impressive record over the Dons.
Dundee United have won six of their last seven meetings in the City of Discovery. It is safe to say Jim Goodwin hopes his side can find a much-needed win on Wednesday – having watched his side lose their last four league games.
In truth, both sides are struggling, with Aberdeen – still managed by caretaker Peter Leven – picking up just one win in their last eight league games.
Peter Leven (R) remains in interim manager of Aberdeen as Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel (L) searches for a new boss
That run includes five consecutive defeats on the road. Should that turn to six, it would serve a massive blow to their hopes of reaching the sixth spot they want.
