Celtic-Hearts showdown tops weekend's Premiership bill

Last season's top two in the Scottish Premiership - and Scotland's two remaining European representatives, Celtic and Heart of Midlothian - go head-to-head on Sunday after Thursday frustrations in Europe.

But there is plenty of interest on Saturday too, with four games kicking off at the traditional 15:00 BST before Dundee host a Rangers side hoping to put pressure on reigning champions Celtic with a win that would take them above their city rivals.

O'Neill defiant in defeat, but Celtic's 'flat-track bullies' fail another big test

Considering Celtic lead the Premiership by two points and have won 14 of their past 15 league games - scoring at least twice in 11 of them - you would be forgiven for being confused by the talk of crisis in the east end of Glasgow.

However, Sunday's convincing win in Motherwell has quickly been overshadowed by Thursday's 4-1 Europa League defeat by Benfica.

It is not often that a Celtic side have suffered four losses in their latest five outings, with their manager having considered his position only a couple of weeks ago before deciding to carry on , and with the club also at loggerheads with sections of their fan base.

Martin O'Neill, though, is stressing the quality of their hosts and taking positives from an improved second-half display in Lisbon.

Indeed, Celtic will still be strong favourites on Sunday to extend the five-point gap between themselves and the third-top visitors - and it must be remembered that the other losses came again second-place Rangers (twice) and Ferencvaros rather than lesser Scottish sides.

If Hearts are going to be title challengers again under Wouter Vrancken, just as they were under Derek McInnes last season, this is the time to start improving on their record of only winning twice in their past 11 away league games, all without a clean sheet.

The most painful of their six defeats in that period came on their last visit to Celtic Park, when the hosts ended Hearts' three-game unbeaten run against them to overtake the long-time leaders on the final day of last season.

They have, though, won twice in their latest six visits to Celtic Park and are currently on a run of one defeat in 13 overall, albeit they will be disappointed to have conceded a late equaliser in their Conference League opener at home to Danish side Nordsjaelland.

It is Hearts' forward line that has had most plaudits, but along with Rangers they have also faced fewer goal attempts than any side in the Premiership this season.

That record will be tested by a Celtic side who have had the most goal attempts, but it looks like O'Neill might have lost patience with Kasper Hogh, hinting that Camilo Duran will come off the wing to replace the misfiring Dane through the middle.

The weekend after a European game is often seen as the most vulnerable time for top clubs, so will Celtic's extra travelling prove crucial?

Rangers eased aside Kilmarnock last Saturday despite looking a bit rusty after the international break to take over at the top of the table, only for Celtic to restore their two-point lead the following day.

Derek McInnes' side will be confident of doing so again considering they are on a seven-game winning streak and are unbeaten in four Premiership away games this season, winning the latest three.

Not only that, but Rangers have not lost to Dundee in 20 meetings since a 2-1 defeat in November 2017.

They have won the latest two meetings 3-0, at home in January and at Dens Park in November - one of six victories there in eight visits.

However, Dundee managed draws in two of three before that and former Rangers defender Steven Pressley's side are showing their own signs of improvement, having lost only once in four outings and winning their latest two.

Indeed, Hibernian, who won 2-1 there in August, are the only team to have avoided defeat at Dens in six games this season.

However, Rangers arrive full of renewed confidence and threat, with striker Ryan Naderi having now scored six goals in 12 games this season and reborn winger Djeidi Gassama having completed the most dribbles, had most touches in the opposing penalty box and won more fouls than anyone else in the Premiership.

Aberdeen had gone four games without defeat until St Johnstone's visit on Sunday, but that was enough to start the grumbles again among the Dons support.

That is because Stephen Robinson's side have now won just twice in seven outings - and one of those after a penalty shoot-out.

His side have failed to score in each of their past three home league games and another would match a dismal run of four in 2012.

Two of them were against St Mirren, so it is perhaps not the time for Robinson to be facing his former club, now led by his understudy, who he has not beaten in three attempts and who have won the latest two - 2-0 home and away.

Indeed, St Mirren's victory in May means they have won on four of their latest seven visits to Pittodrie and have lost just one of their past seven meetings overall.

However, Craig McLeish's side arrive having lost four in a row, their latest two on the road without scoring.

With St Mirren's Ryan Carr having attempted more tackles than any player in the Premiership this season and Aberdeen's Afeez Aremu in second, we could be in for a dour midfield battle.

As he seeks his first win as Hibernian manager, Marink Reedijk will be glad to see it is Falkirk heading to Easter Road given they are the only side without an away win in the Premiership this season and have not won in seven visits to Leith since August 2014.

Although the Bairns have lost on their latest two, the previous five were draws and, while they have only won once in their latest eight outings, John McGlynn's side have at least taken a point in the most recent two.

Hibs have themselves only won once in their latest six games and their new Dutch boss will be looking to improve on an eight-game run without a clean sheet.

There are also problems at the other end too, for both sides, with Hibs and Falkirk in the division's bottom three for chance conversion rate.

Bottom of that table - and the Premiership as a whole - are Kilmarnock.

Despite manager Neil McCann's positivity about improving performances, the Ayrshire side have still only won once in seven outings.

If they are to beat Motherwell for the first time in five meetings, they will have to improve home form that has them joint bottom with Hibs for points won, joint bottom with Aberdeen for fewest goals and top for goals conceded.

Motherwell, though, arrive having only won once in nine themselves, losing four in a row, and surely with the honeymoon period beginning to run out for new manager Alfred Johansson despite early plaudits for continuing the lauded style of play under Jens Berthel Askou.

Meanwhile, in Perth, Tayside rivals St Johnstone and Dundee United look to build on victories last weekend, with United no doubt wary of Premiership top scorer Josh Fowler, whose five goals have come from just 10 goal attempts. Talk about clinical.