Scottish Premiership previews

Team news, stats and predictions for the latest round of the Scottish Premiership, as Rangers go to Livingston live on Sky Sports.

Dundee vs Motherwell, Saturday 3pm

Dundee midfielder Jordan McGhee drops out after undergoing minor knee surgery. But Leigh Griffiths returns to the squad after missing the defeat against his parent club Celtic before the international break.

Alex Jakubiak (shoulder), Cillian Sheridan (Achilles) and Shaun Byrne (knee) remain out while Max Anderson (niggle) is a doubt.

Motherwell have Kevin Van Veen and Jordan Roberts back in their squad after missing the win over Hearts.

Van Veen returns from suspension while Roberts could not face his parent club.

Manager Graham Alexander otherwise has an unchanged squad which means Mark O’Hara, Robbie Crawford, Liam Donnelly and Juhani Ojala will miss out again.

Opta stats

? Dundee are winless in nine league meetings with Motherwell (D1 L8), losing each of their last seven in a row.

? Motherwell have won each of their last four league away games against Dundee, keeping a clean sheet in three of those.

? Dundee have won just two of their last 27 home matches in the Scottish Premiership (D7 L18), with their last three home wins in the competition coming under different managers: Neil McCann (May 2018 vs Hamilton), Jim McIntyre (December 2018 vs Hamilton) and James McPake (October 2021 vs Aberdeen).

? Following a 2-0 win away at Aberdeen in their last away league match, Motherwell are looking to win consecutive away Scottish Premiership matches for the first time since October 2020 under Steve Robinson.

? Dundee’s Paul McMullan has registered six Scottish Premiership assists this season, more than any Dundee player recorded in their previous two seasons in the top flight (2017-18 and 2018-19). The last player with more for the club in a top-flight season was Greg Stewart in 2015-16 (10).

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated Scottish Premiership blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Hearts vs St Mirren, Saturday 3pm

Hearts will be missing defender Taylor Moore through suspension, but his absence is likely to be offset by the return of fellow centre-back Craig Halkett after he missed the defeat at Fir Park through injury.

Liam Boyce and Michael Smith both returned last weekend so Robbie Neilson is expected to have a full squad to pick from with the exception of Moore.

St Mirren will be without Conor McCarthy after the Irish defender suffered an ankle injury against Livingston.

The centre-back is expected to be out until the new year after being told he needs surgery to fix ligament damage.

Jim Goodwin otherwise has a full squad, with Matt Millar back in contention after a calf problem.

Opta stats

? After their 2-1 win in their first clash this season, Hearts are looking to pick up back-to-back top-flight league victories over St Mirren for the first time since winning four on the spin from October 2010 to September 2011.

? St Mirren have only enjoyed one win in their last 15 top-flight league visits to Hearts (D2 L12), a 2-0 victory in October 2013 under Danny Lennon.

? Hearts are unbeaten in their last nine home Scottish Premiership matches (W4 D5), last having a longer home unbeaten run between November 2017 and April 2018 (12 under Craig Levein).

? St Mirren are unbeaten in their last five away Scottish Premiership matches (W2 D3), their best run in the top flight since September 2012 (also a five-game unbeaten run).

? Hearts striker Liam Boyce has scored five goals in five top-flight appearances against St Mirren, averaging a goal every 70 minutes against them. He netted his first Scottish Premiership hat-trick against the Buddies in April 2015 for Ross County.

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated Scottish Premiership blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Ross County vs Dundee United, Saturday 3pm

Ross County could have a full squad again. County have reported no fresh injuries following the midweek win over Hibernian.

Jake Vokins is looking for a Premiership debut after returning to the bench following foot surgery.

Midfielder Calum Butcher is suspended for United following his red card against Aberdeen.

Dundee United will give Jeando Fuchs until the last minute to prove his fitness after the midfielder went off injured against the Dons.

Another midfielder, Dylan Levitt, remains out with a knock, along with striker Marc McNulty (hamstring) but Adrian Sporle returns from injury.

Opta stats

? Ross County have lost six of their last seven Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United, winning the other 2-0 in May of last season.

? Dundee United have won each of their last three Scottish Premiership trips to Ross County, scoring 2+ goals each time since a 2-1 defeat in August 2015.

? Ross County are looking to win back-to-back home league games for only a second time since the start of last season, having last done so in February/March of last term.

? Dundee United have won just four of their last 24 away Scottish Premiership matches (D11 L9) and lost 5-2 last time out on the road against Hearts – however, they haven’t lost consecutive away league games since September 2020.

? Nicky Clark has scored three goals in four top-flight appearances against Ross County for Dundee United, netting the winning goal each time – he scored the second goal in a 2-1 win in August 2020 and both goals in another 2-1 victory in October 2020.

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated Scottish Premiership blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

St. Johnstone vs Hibernian, Saturday 3pm

Hibernian striker Christian Doidge has lost an appeal against his midweek red card and will miss Saturday’s cinch Premiership contest with St Johnstone.

Doidge and Martin Boyle will both miss the Perth trip after being sent off against Ross County.

Ryan Porteous is available after serving a ban in Dingwall, while Jamie Murphy has a chance of being back in the squad following injury. Melker Hallberg, Kyle Magennis, Danny MacKay and Sean Mackie are all set to remain on the sidelines.

St Johnstone could include newly-signed attacker Viv Solomon-Otabor in their squad as they are set to be without four key players for the visit of Hibernian.

Stevie May (knee), Glenn Middleton (hamstring) and David Wotherspoon (knee) have all recently been ruled out for several weeks with injury, while striker Chris Kane is suspended following his red card against St Mirren in the last league game.

Opta stats

? St Johnstone, 1-0 winners in their last home league game against Hibernian in March last season, last won back-to-back home matches against Hibs in the top flight in October 2010.

? Hibernian have won three of their last six top flight league meetings with St Johnstone (D1 L2), more than their previous 11 before this (W2 D5 L4).

? Four of St Johnstone’s last 14 league games have ended goalless, including their last match against St Mirren. The Saints are also looking to keep three consecutive clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since a run of four in December 2019.

? Hibernian have lost their last five league games, their longest losing stretch in the Scottish Premiership since April 2014 under Terry Butcher (run of six).

? Hibernian have lost a league-high six points to goals conceded in the final 20 minutes of Scottish Premiership matches this season, with Hibs shipping a 72nd-minute winner at Ross County last time out.

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated Scottish Premiership blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Livingston vs Rangers, Sunday 12pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Livingston have no fresh injuries ahead of their cinch Premiership contest with Rangers.

Loan player Ben Williamson is unable to face his parent club and Ayo Obileye completes a two-match suspension.

Scott Pittman and Sean Kelly remain out along with Adam Lewis (foot) and Daniel Barden (cancer).

Rangers have an unchanged squad for the trip to West Lothian.

Neither Leon Balogun nor Kemar Roofe are ready to return after missing games in the past week.

Filip Helander remains on the sidelines with a knee problem and Nnamdi Ofoborh (heart issue) is also still missing.

Opta stats

? Livingston have lost nine of their last 10 league meetings with Rangers (D1) since a 1-0 triumph in September 2018.

? Rangers have kept a clean sheet in each of their last seven league games against Livingston, as well as each of their last five such matches away from home.

? Livingston have lost their last two Scottish Premiership matches against the reigning champions by an aggregate score of 9-0 (6-0 vs Celtic, 3-0 vs Rangers). Their last league win over the reigning champions came back in October 2019, a 2-0 home win over Celtic.

? Since losing their first away Scottish Premiership match of the season against Dundee United, Rangers have taken maximum points from all five games on the road, scoring 15 goals in the process. Their 6-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park was the first time they’d scored six in an away top-flight match since September 2002, a 6-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic under Alex McLeish.

? Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Rangers full-back James Tavernier has assisted 50 Scottish Premiership goals, more than any other player. It is also 33 more than any other Gers player over this period (Alfredo Morelos, 17).

How to follow: Watch Livingston vs Rangers live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 11am; Kick-off 12pm. Follow the action with our dedicated live match blog including in-game clips, with free match highlights published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Celtic vs Aberdeen, Sunday 3pm

Celtic duo Tom Rogic and Carl Starfelt are closing in on returns from hamstring injuries.

Striker Giorgos Giakoumakis has missed the last two games with a knee problem.

Christopher Jullien is building up his fitness in training after recovering from a long-term knee injury, and fellow defender Greg Taylor is working his way back from a shoulder problem.

Aberdeen will be without the suspended Funso Ojo after they were unable to get his controversial dismissal at Dundee United last weekend overturned.

David Bates returns from injury, while Lewis Ferguson is available after suspension.

Calvin Ramsay, Declan Gallagher and Matty Kennedy are set to remain on the sidelines along with long-term absentees Mikey Devlin and Andy Considine.

Opta stats

? Celtic have lost just one of their last 21 league matches against Aberdeen (W17 D3) and are unbeaten in 12 such meetings (W9 D3) since a 1-0 defeat in May 2018.

? Aberdeen have lost 29 of their last 31 league visits to Celtic (W1 D1), a stretch that began in the 2004-05 season.

? Celtic are unbeaten in their last 12 home Scottish Premiership matches (W9 D3), conceding only three goals across these games. Their last home game was a goalless draw with Livingston, last failing to score in consecutive home league games in May 2018 against Kilmarnock (0-0) and Aberdeen (0-1).

? Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson has scored five goals in 11 top-flight appearances against Celtic, netting in each of his last two against them. Since his first appearance against them in April 2018, he has more Scottish Premiership goals against Celtic than any other player.

? Celtic’s Jota has been directly involved in eight goals in nine Scottish Premiership appearances this season (4 goals, 4 assists), although he has only one assist and no goals in four such games at Celtic Park.

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated Scottish Premiership blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.