Scottish Premiership match previews, team news and live on Sky Sports | Football News


Team news and stats for the weekend’s Scottish Premiership matches, with St Johnstone vs Rangers and Hearts vs Hibernian both live on Sky Sports.

St Johnstone vs Rangers – Saturday, 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Team news

St Johnstone will be without loanee Glenn Middleton. The attacker cannot play against his parent club but Eetu Vertainen will be involved at some stage to make his debut, as could fellow new signings Lars Dendoncker and Ali Crawford.

Murray Davidson is 50-50 with a shoulder injury, new signing Cammy MacPherson is out with a shoulder issue, Craig Bryson remains sidelined while David Wotherspoon is available after flying back from international duty with Canada.

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Highlights of the first Old Firm derby of the 2021/22 season at Ibrox between Rangers and Celtic

Ianis Hagi is out of the Rangers squad after testing positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with Romania.

Calvin Bassey, James Tavernier, Allan McGregor and Scott Wright are back in contention after coronavirus issues struck the Ibrox club recently. Long-term absentees Ryan Jack (calf) and Nnamdi Ofoborh (heart issue) remain out.

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  • St. Johnstone have won just one of their last 23 league meetings with Rangers (D6 L16), and are winless in 10 Scottish Premiership games against them (D3 L7) since a 3-1 victory at Ibrox in December 2017.
  • Rangers are unbeaten in their last 13 league visits to St. Johnstone (W10 D3) since a 4-1 defeat in March 2010 under Walter Smith.
  • St. Johnstone are winless in six league games (D4 L2), scoring just one goal in this run – which was an own goal by Motherwell’s Stephen O’Donnell.
  • Rangers have only lost one of their last 43 league matches (W36 D6), and just one of their last 23 played away from home (W15 D7).
  • St. Johnstone have used a league-low 17 players in this season’s Scottish Premiership, while no side has used more different players than opponents Rangers in 2021-22 (22, level with Aberdeen).

Saturday 11th September 12:00pm


Kick off 12:30pm

How to follow: Watch St Johnstone vs Rangers live on Sky Sports Football from 12pm; kick-off 12.30pm. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Celtic vs Ross County – Saturday, 3pm

Team news

Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi is out for at least three to four weeks with a knee injury picked up on international duty with Japan.

James McCarthy is in contention after recovering from a knock, but James Forrest remains out through injury. New signings Giorgos Giakoumakis, Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales are all available.

Connor Randall is a doubt for Ross County and is nursing an ankle knock. Jake Vokins, on loan from Southampton, remains out long term with a foot injury.

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New Celtic signing Jota tells the story of when he received a scarf of the Scottish club when he was younger and says he has paid attention to them ever since

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  • Celtic have never lost at home to Ross County in Scotland’s top-flight in 13 previous such meetings (W10 D3), winning each of their last six such matches while keeping a clean sheet each time.
  • Ross County won their last league game against Celtic 1-0 in February of last season, ending a 22-game winless streak against them in the top-flight (D5 L17).
  • Celtic have won each of their last four home league games by an aggregate score of 22-0, winning both of their Scottish Premiership matches at Celtic Park so far this season 6-0.
  • Having won each of their final three league games of last season, Ross County are yet to win in this season’s Scottish Premiership (P4 W0 D2 L2); they last failed to win any of their first five games of a league campaign in 2014-15.
  • Of Celtic midfielder David Turnbull’s 27 Scottish Premiership goals, 22 have come on home soil (81%), including nine of his 11 league strikes for the Bhoys (82%). Turnbull scored his first hat-trick in the competition in his last game at Celtic Park against St. Mirren.

How to follow: Follow the latest scores on the Sky Sports website and Sky Sports Scores app. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Dundee vs Livingston – Saturday, 3pm

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Leigh Griffiths discusses why he’s joined Dundee on a season-long loan from Celtic

Team news

Leigh Griffiths could make his Dundee debut. The Scotland striker signed a year-long loan deal from Celtic before the close of the transfer window. Christie Elliott has a knock and will be assessed before the game, while Charlie Adam and Danny Mullen are on the long-term injury list.

Livingston are able to call on several players who were struggling or absent for the last match against Hibs. Bruce Anderson is available after suffering a diabetic fit at Easter Road, while Jack Fitzwater has recovered from illness. Ben Williamson is back after missing out with a Covid-related issue.

Jack McMillan, Tom Parkes, Christian Montano and Adam Lewis are also in contention for a return to the squad. Jackson Longridge is likely to miss out and Sean Kelly is unavailable due to suspected broken ribs.

Opta stats

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Hibernian and Livingston

  • This will be Dundee’s first league meeting with Livingston since May 2019; they have won both of their last two league matches against the Lions, never winning three in a row versus them in the top-flight.
  • This will be Livingston’s first league visit to Dundee since a goalless draw in December 2018.
  • Dundee have won just one of their last 16 Scottish Premiership matches (D2 L13), although both of their last two victories in the competition have been against Livingston (February 2019 and May 2019). The last side to see a run of three Scottish Premiership wins all come against the same opponent were Hamilton – who did so against Dundee themselves from April to August 2017.
  • Livingston are the only side without a point from their opening four games of this season’s Scottish Premiership; the last side to lose each of their first five matches of a season in the competition were Dundee in 2018-19, who would go on to be relegated.
  • Livingston have lost a league-high six points from winning positions in this season’s Scottish Premiership, going ahead twice but losing on both occasions.

How to follow: Follow the action via our live minute-by-minute match blog. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Motherwell vs Aberdeen – Saturday, 3pm

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Ross County

Team news

Jake Carroll is suspended for Motherwell after he was sent off against Dundee in their last outing. Captain Stephen O’Donnell’s hip problem will be assessed after returning from Scotland duty while new signing Sondre Solholm Johansen could make his debut.

Defender David Bates is in contention for his Aberdeen debut after signing from Hamburg. Ryan Hedges (hamstring) remains a couple of weeks away from returning. Andrew Considine is out until after Christmas having undergone cruciate ligament surgery.

Opta stats

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Dundee

  • Since the Scottish Premiership was rebranded in 2013, only against Celtic (20) have Motherwell lost more matches in the competition than they have against Aberdeen (15, level with St. Johnstone).
  • Aberdeen have only lost two of their last 11 league visits to Motherwell (W7 D2), a 2-1 defeat in March 2016 and a 3-0 loss in November 2018.
  • Motherwell have won four of their last six home league fixtures (L2), as many as their previous 21 beforehand (W4 D4 L13).
  • Aberdeen are one of three sides yet to lose a Scottish Premiership match so far this season (also Hibernian and Hearts); they last avoided defeat in each of their opening five league matches to a campaign in 2017-18.
  • Motherwell’s Tony Watt has scored in each of his last three league games, scoring as many goals this season as he did in the whole of last term in the Scottish Premiership (three). His three strikes have been worth five points to the Steelmen in 2021-22, more than any other player for any side in the Scottish Premiership so far.

How to follow: Follow the latest scores on the Sky Sports website and Sky Sports Scores app. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

St Mirren vs Dundee United – Saturday, 3pm

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between St Mirren and St. Johnstone

Team news

Ethan Erhahon is suspended for St Mirren after being sent off against St Johnstone in his last outing. Alan Power is also serving the second game of a two-match ban while Greg Kiltie (knee) and Charles Dunne (hamstring) miss out. New signings Matt Millar and Connor Ronan are available.

Ilmari Niskanen will able to make his Dundee United debut in Paisley. The 23-year-old Finland attacker, signed from Bundesliga 2 club FC Ingolstadt 04, is awaiting international clearance.

Peter Pawlett returns after suspension while Ben Siegrist remains on the sidelines with a knee injury with Logan Chalmers and Archie Meekison long-term injuries.

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  • St. Mirren have won only once in their last eight Scottish Premiership meetings with Dundee United (D3 L4), although they are unbeaten in their last three against them in the division (W1 D2).
  • Dundee United have lost just one of their last 16 top-flight league visits to St. Mirren (W7 D8), although both of their away league games there last season finished 0-0.
  • St. Mirren are winless in seven league matches (D4 L3) since a 3-1 win over Ross County in April of last season.
  • After their 1-0 win at St. Johnstone in their last away league outing, Dundee United are looking to pick up back-to-back away league wins for the first time since August 2020.
  • While St. Mirren have conceded more first half goals than any other side in this season’s Scottish Premiership (six), Dundee United are the only side yet to score at all in the first 45 minutes of their games in this season’s competition.

How to follow: Follow the latest scores on the Sky Sports website and Sky Sports Scores app. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Hearts vs Hibernian – Sunday, 12pm, live on Sky Sports Football

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Hibernian boss Jack Ross says the form of the two Edinburgh sides adds ‘extra spice’ to Sunday’s derby at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership

Team news

Hearts wing-back Michael Smith is expected to be fit despite going off injured for Northern Ireland against Switzerland in midweek.

Stephen Kingsley is back after his recent injury lay-off meaning Robbie Neilson has a near-full-strength squad to choose from, with only Cammy Logan still out of contention.

New recruits Barrie McKay and Cammy Devlin are in the squad and could make their debuts, although Neilson is unlikely to make many changes from the side that won so impressively at Tannadice in their last match.

Hibs winger Jamie Murphy has joined Melker Hallberg, Sean Mackie and Christian Doidge on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury against Livingston a fortnight ago.

Jack Ross has a couple of other players who are carrying niggles but is hopeful they will be fit for Sunday.

Martin Boyle is expected to be available after missing Australia’s World Cup qualifier against Vietnam as a precaution in midweek but it remains to be seen if any of Joe Newell, Paul Hanlon or Chris Cadden will be ready to return after their recent lay-offs.

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Dundee United and Hearts

  • This will be the first league meeting between Hearts and Hibernian since a 3-1 Hearts victory in March 2020; the last side to win back-to-back Edinburgh derbies in the Scottish Premiership were Hearts in April 2014 under Gary Locke.
  • Hibernian have won both of their last two away league visits to Hearts, this after having only managed one win in their previous 12 away trips in the top-flight before this (D4 L7).
  • Hearts have won three of their opening four league matches this season (D1); they had only won three of their final 24 matches in their last season in the Scottish Premiership in 2019-20 (D9 L12).
  • Hibernian are unbeaten in six league matches (W4 D2), last having a longer such run without defeat in November 2019 (nine games).
  • Martin Boyle has scored in all four of his Scottish Premiership matches this season; the last Hibernian player to score in five consecutive appearances in the competition was Christian Doidge in December 2019. Boyle scored both goals for Hibs in his last league appearance at Tynecastle in a 2-0 win in December 2019.

Sunday 12th September 11:00am


Kick off 12:00pm

How to follow: Watch Hearts vs Hibernian live on Sky Sports Football from 11am; kick-off 12pm. Free match highlights will be published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Key dates in the Scottish Premiership 2021/22 season

The top-flight will once again take a winter break from Monday January 3 until Wednesday January 26.

After 33 games, the league splits into two sections of six teams, with each team playing each other in that section.

The 2021/22 Scottish Premiership season with Sky Sports

  • Up to 48 live matches from the Scottish Premiership, including every Old Firm encounter.
  • Live coverage presented by Eilidh Barbour with analysis from Kris Boyd and Andy Walker, and more.
  • Round-the-clock coverage on Sky Sports News, on skysports.com and across our Sky Sports social channels.
  • Dedicated Scottish Premiership highlights show every week and free-to-watch highlights of every Scottish Premiership game on our website.
  • Insight and analysis from our Scottish Football Podcast.



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