With the 4th round of the Scottish Cup taking place this weekend, here are the key storylines ahead of an action-packed weekend.

Game of the Round – Dunfermline v Hibernian

Neil Lennon welcomes his former side to East End Park for an intriguing Saturday lunchtime kick-off. Lennon, who oversaw 122 games at Easter Road and returned the club to the top flight as 2017 Championship winners, will be desperate to upset the odds. His Dunfermline side currently sits 5th in the Championship, three points adrift of the playoffs.

Standing in his way is an Hibernian icon, David Gray. The man who ended Hibs’ 114-year Scottish Cup hoodoo with a famous header against Rangers in 2016. With Lennon facing his former side and Gray looking to start another memorable cup run, the storylines alone could make this a classic cup tie.

Team Spotlight – Auchinleck Talbot

Auchinleck Talbot have secured a massive glamour tie against Celtic this Sunday evening. While the venue has shifted from Beechwood Park to Rugby Park, the sense of occasion remains clear for the fans and long-term manager Tommy Sloan, who has been at the helm since 2003.

Talbot’s road to the fourth round has been clinical. Dispatching Haddington, local rivals Cumnock, Gretna, and Dumbarton, netting 13 goals along the way. This marks their first return to this stage since 2022, when they hosted Hearts in a memorable 5-0 defeat. Regardless of the final score, Sunday’s fixture is a financial game-changer that secures the club’s future for years to come.

Manager to Watch – Jim Goodwin

Dundee United welcome Ayr United to Tannadice in a clash that feels pivotal for Jim Goodwin. After a brutal start to 2026, headlined by a painful derby loss to Dundee and a heavy defeat at the hands of Celtic, Goodwin’s record of just two wins in 13 has left him with zero margin for error. For a club that finished fourth last season and enjoyed a brief stint in the European qualifiers, the current slump is a bitter pill for the Tangerine faithful to swallow.

The visitors are a difficult test, Scott Brown’s Ayr United sit 4th in the championship, and have enjoyed a run of 1 defeat in their last 11. For United, victory is crucial to end their dismal run.