Ahead of a crucial Scottish Premiership weekend, these are three things to watch out for, with key match-ups all over the league table.
Game of the Weekend – Celtic v Motherwell
While omitting the Dundee Derby feels like a slight, Motherwell’s latest trip to Celtic Park is shaping up to be an unmissable clash. Much has been made of Jens Berthel Askou’s tactical imprint on the league this season; his side will arrive full of belief that they can conduct an upset, despite a stumble at Dens Park last weekend.
Memories of their last meeting linger, a 2-0 Motherwell victory that felt more like a massacre than the scoreline suggested. Askou’s men ran riot against a passive Celtic side, then managed by the beleaguered Wilfried Nancy.
However, the Hoops are a different beast now. With Martin O’Neill back in the dugout, Celtic are riding high after a marathon 120-minute triumph over Rangers at Hampden.
Returning home after a gruelling four-game road trip across Ibrox, Stuttgart, and Aberdeen, Celtic’s task is to close the gap at the top to just two points with the Jambos playing in the evening kick-off.
Whether Motherwell can throw another spanner in the works of this title race remains to be seen, but if their last 3-2 thriller in Glasgow is any indication, we’re in for a classic.
Team Spotlight – Aberdeen
Stephen Robinson has undoubtedly earned a crack at the Aberdeen job. Departing St Mirren as a club legend, he leaves behind a legacy of three consecutive top-half finishes and a League Cup trophy, all achieved on a fraction of his rivals’ budgets.
His immediate task is to galvanise a fragmented Dons squad still reeling from a shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Dunfermline. With their trophy defence dead and a bottom-six finish already guaranteed, Robinson’s priority is a total appraisal of a bloated squad as he looks toward next season.
His tenure begins with a baptism of fire – Falkirk at home. With the Bairns playing expansive football and chasing a European spot, Pittodrie will be an unforgiving introduction for the new man. All eyes turn to the North East this weekend to see if, five years after Derek McInnes moved on, Aberdeen have finally found a long-term successor.
Player Spotlight – Tony Yogane
The third instalment of the Dundee Derby arrives this Sunday. Although both sides currently reside in the bottom six, the stakes remain high in what promises to be an intriguing encounter at Dens Park.
The Dark Blues have the chance to leapfrog their bitter rivals into 7th place, continuing a season that has defied many pre-season relegation predictions.
Central to Steven Pressley’s success has been a reliance on phenomenal wing play. Swansea loanee Cameron Congreve commands the headlines – currently the league’s joint-top assist provider with seven – he recently showcased his value with a stunning 20-yard strike in a chaotic 3-3 draw with Hibernian.
However, Tony Yogane is proving just as potent on the opposite flank. The Brentford loanee, fresh from opening the scoring in a vital win over high-flying Motherwell, has consistently impressed with his physicality and tireless work rate.
After playing the full 90 minutes in Dundee’s 1-0 triumph at Tannadice earlier this season, Yogane will be eager to replicate that dominant performance on home turf.
