Scottish Premiership match previews: Livingston host Rangers as Celtic look to bounce back against St Johnstone

Team news and stats for the midweek round of the Scottish Premiership, as Rangers visit Livingston and Celtic host St Johnstone.

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Dundee Utd vs Motherwell – Wednesday, 6pm

Dundee United boss Micky Mellon has no fresh injuries as the Terrors prepare for their final Tannadice clash of the season against Motherwell.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist is out for the rest of the season with a broken wrist.

Dillon Powers (concussion) and Declan Glass (knee) are long-term absentees.

Motherwell will see how Mark O’Hara comes through training after the midfielder missed the recent win over Kilmarnock. Graham Alexander will otherwise have an unchanged squad.

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Goalkeeper Scott Fox is back in training after a long-term knee injury but is unlikely to feature while Liam Grimshaw (illness), Eddie Nolan (calf), plus Harry Smith, Sherwin Seedorf, Jordan Roberts, Trevor Carson and Liam Donnelly (all knee), are out.

Opta stats

  • Dundee United have only lost one of their last seven top-flight home games against Motherwell (W4 D2), although The Terrors are winless in their most recent two such matches, a 0-3 defeat in 2016 and 1-1 draw in 2020.
  • Motherwell have only lost one of their last five Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W3 D1), going down 0-1 in August of this season.
  • Dundee United have only won one of their last 17 midweek games (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) in the Scottish Premiership (D5 L11), a 2-0 victory over Kilmarnock in December 2020.
  • Motherwell are currently enjoying a three-game winning streak in the Scottish Premiership; they last won four in a row in February 2019 (run of six).
  • Only Odsonne Edouard (10) has scored more Scottish Premiership goals in 2021 than Motherwell’s Devante Cole (nine). Cole has scored five goals in his last six league games, as many as he had across his previous 23 such appearances before this.

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 – Wednesday, 6pm

Robby McCrorie looks to have played the last game of his loan spell at Livingston.

The goalkeeper is unable to face parent club Rangers on Wednesday night but a niggle is also likely to keep him out of Saturday’s final Scottish Premiership game against St Johnstone.

Gavin Reilly is back running after a hamstring injury but his season is over while Keaghan Jacobs and Steve Lawson remain out with foot injuries.

Rangers will again be without Borna Barisic and Scott Arfield at the Tony Macaroni Arena – but both could be back for Saturday’s trophy day celebrations against Aberdeen.

Barisic tweaked a thigh issue in his side’s 4-1 drubbing of Celtic, while Arfield missed the derby triumph with an ankle knock picked up in training.

Filip Helander (knee), Ryan Jack (calf), Leon Balogun (Achilles) and Nikola Katic (knee) are also on the casualty list while Nathan Patterson, Bongani Zungu and Calvin Bassey are still suspended.

Opta stats

  • Livingston have won only once in their last 21 top-flight league meetings with Rangers (D4 L16), a 1-0 victory in September 2018.
  • Rangers have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four league visits to Livingston (W3 D1).
  • Livingston have lost each of their last three league games, last losing four in a row in February 2019, a run which included a 0-3 defeat at home to Rangers.
  • Rangers have drawn four of their last six away league outings (W2), including both of their last two, 1-1 stalemates with Celtic and St. Johnstone. The Gers last drew three or more successive away league outings in August 2018 (four).
  • Alfredo Morelos has scored in six of his last seven league games for Rangers; his six goals in this run is as many as he scored in his previous 29 league appearances beforehand.

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.

Celtic vs St Johnstone – Wednesday, 6.30pm

Scott Bain is out of Celtic‘s Scottish Premiership clash with St Johnstone at Parkhead on Wednesday night due to a finger injury.

Interim boss John Kennedy will not take a risk with the goalkeeper or one or two others although there is nothing major about the concerns.

Defender Christopher Jullien is out long term with a knee injury.

St Johnstone have no fresh injuries after their Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren.

Callum Davidson will assess his squad after their Hampden heroics. Scott Tanser (ankle) is out along with Murray Davidson, Liam Craig, Elliot Parish and Stevie May.

Opta stats

  • Celtic are unbeaten in 15 league meetings with St. Johnstone (W12 D3) since a 1-2 defeat in May 2016 under Ronny Deila – which was the penultimate match of their 2015-16 campaign.
  • St. Johnstone are winless in nine league visits to Celtic Park (D3 L6), last winning in March 2015 (1-0).
  • Celtic have lost five league matches this season, last losing more in a single campaign in 2012-13 (seven).
  • St. Johnstone have lost just one of their last seven league matches (W4 D2). Indeed, the Saints have lost just one of their last eight away games in the Scottish Premiership (W4 D3), a 0-1 defeat to Rangers in February.
  • Celtic’s Ryan Christie has been directly involved in 15 goals in 20 Scottish Premiership appearances against St. Johnstone (11 goals, four assists), more than double than he has been against any other opponent in his career. Indeed, Christie has six goals and four assists in his last eight league games against the Saints.

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.

Aberdeen vs Hibernian – Wednesday, 7.45pm

Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass has no fresh injuries for the visit of Hibernian in the Premiership on Wednesday night.

The Dons boss will go the same squad that travelled to Livingston to win 2-1 in their last outing.

Joe Lewis (rib), Ross McCrorie (ankle), Ash Taylor (knock), Greg Leigh (hamstring) and Michael Devlin (ankle) remain out.

Hibernian boss Jack Ross is sweating over the fitness of a key trio ahead of the Pittodrie clash, which could see the Leith side clinch third spot.

Ryan Porteous, Joe Newell and Kevin Nisbet are all nursing knocks after Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over Dundee United.

However, Alex Gogic returns from suspension to rejoin Ross’ midfield. Chris Cadden (back) and Sean Mackie (thigh) remain out.

Opta stats

  • Aberdeen are unbeaten in their last nine home league games against Hibernian (W6 D3) since a 1-2 reverse in May 2012 under Craig Brown.
  • After their 2-0 win over them in February, Hibernian are looking to win back-to-back league meetings with Aberdeen for the first time since December 2009 under John Hughes.
  • Aberdeen have won two of their three league matches under Stephen Glass (D1), as many as their final 14 such games before his first in charge (W2 D5 L7).
  • After losing 1-2 at Rangers in April, Hibernian are looking to avoid losing back-to-back away league games for the first time since December 2019.
  • Hibernian’s Martin Boyle has scored more Scottish Premiership goals against Aberdeen than any other opponent in his career (five). Boyle netted both goals in Hibernian’s 2-0 win over the Dons in February.

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.

Kilmarnock vs St Mirren – Wednesday, 7.45pm

Kilmarnock have no fresh injury problems ahead of their Scottish Premiership clash with St Mirren.

Nicke Kabamba is back doing some light running after a hamstring injury but is not expected to feature again even if Killie’s season is extended into the play-offs.

Tommy Wright otherwise has a full squad to choose from.

St Mirren will assess two or three knocks following their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat.

Jim Goodwin is set to freshen up his team anyway after their Hampden loss to St Johnstone on Sunday. Teenager Dylan Reid could feature at the weekend after missing several games for his school exams.

Opta stats

  • Kilmarnock have taken 19 points from 21 available to them in their last seven home league meetings with St. Mirren (W6 D1).
  • After their 2-0 win in February, St. Mirren are looking for back-to-back top-flight league victories over Kilmarnock for the first time since May 2012 under Danny Lennon.
  • Kilmarnock are unbeaten in four home league games (W2 D2); they had lost three in a row prior to this.
  • St. Mirren have lost three of their last five league games (W1 D1), as many as their previous 13 such fixtures before this (W4 D6 L3).
  • Kyle Lafferty has either scored (six) or assisted (two) eight of Kilmarnock’s last 12 league goals, netting a hat-trick in their last home league match versus Dundee United in April.

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 Hamilton – Wednesday, 7.45pm

Ross County boss John Hughes admits it is “touch and go” whether defender Carl Tremarco will be fit enough to face Hamilton in Wednesday’s relegation crunch.

The full-back has missed the last month with a calf problem.

Fellow full-back Connor Randall has suffered a thigh strain on his return to training from a back issue and will not feature, nor will long-term casualties Callum Morris and Tom Grivosti (both hamstring).

Hamilton boss Brian Rice hopes to have skipper Brian Easton back from a knee injury. Ronan Hughes is still suspended for the trip to Dingwall.

Ryan Fulton (knee), Scott Martin (leg), Marios Ogkmpoe (hamstring), Andy Winter (knee), Shaun Want (thigh) and David Templeton (groin) are all still out.

Opta stats

  • Ross County have won three of their last five league games against Hamilton (D1 L1), and are looking to win back-to-back meetings with them in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since October 2017.
  • Hamilton won their last league visit to Ross County 2-0 in December 2020; it was their first Scottish Premiership win there in nine attempts (D2 L6).
  • Of Ross County’s 31 league goals this season, 45% have come from set-pieces (14, including penalties), the highest ratio in the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership. However, Hamilton have conceded the lowest proportion of their goals from set-piece situations in this season’s competition (21%).
  • After beating St. Mirren 2-1 in their last league game, Hamilton could win back-to-back Scottish Premiership matches for the first time this season, having last done so in their final two games of the curtailed 2019-20 campaign.
  • Billy Mckay has scored four goals in his last five Scottish Premiership appearances against Hamilton 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.

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