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Scottish Premier League Weekend Preview [Sat Sep 17th, 2005]
Scotland’s European representatives enjoyed a positive week, but it’s back to domestic matters for Rangers and Hibs in matchday 7 of the SPL.
Bottom side Livingston travel up the Forth Road Bridge to Tannadice as they take on Dundee United. Paul Lambert’s honeymoon period is very much over and his side go into this game still searching for their first win of the campaign.
Gordon Chisholm’s side are also struggling for form and have only won once so far this season. He hopes to have Barry Robson back from injury but skipper Derek McInnes is still out so Paul Ritchie will retain the armband.
Livvy have a decent record at Tannadice with 3 wins out of their last 6 visits there and Lambert will have earmarked this as a must-win game if his side are going to lift themselves from the foot of the table.
It is very much Friends Reunited at East End Park as Dunfermline host Aberdeen. No fewer than 7 players could be lining up against their former clubs and current Aberdeen management duo Jimmy Calderwood and Jimmy Nichol return to Dunfermline for the third time since leaving the Pars just over a year ago.
The Pars have lost both their home fixtures this season and have picked only 2 points out of a possible 18 so far. Apart from a slight ankle knock for Simon Donnelly, Jim Leishman has no fresh injury worries. Aberdeen have yet to win away, and go into this match minus ex-Par Richie Byrne and full-back Kevin McNaughton.
Youngsters John Stewart and David Donald are injured, as well as Darren Mackie and Michael Hart, neither of whom have kicked a ball so far this season. Stevie Crawford, Barry Nicholson, Gary Dempsey and Jamie Langfield all return to their former home, while the Young brothers – Derek and Darren - will line up against their old friends at Aberdeen.
League leaders Hearts will aim to make it 7 wins out of 7 with a tough away day at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The sides have only ever met once before at the Caledonian Stadium – last season’s league meeting ending in a 1-1 draw.
Despite their decent start to the season, Caley have still to win at home and they couldn’t ask for a tougher test at the moment against a Hearts team who have scored 11 goals in their 3 away fixtures this term.
Graham Bayne, Tom Parratt and Liam Keogh are all still missing for the Highlanders, as is defender Richard Hastings who has been sidelined since August. Greek left-back Takis Fyssas is carrying a groin injury and is a slight doubt for the Jambos’ while Michael Pospisil and Neil McFarlane are still missing.
Motherwell entertain Falkirk at Fir Park as both sides look to build on positive results last weekend. The Bairns held champions Rangers to a 1-1 draw last Saturday, however they haven’t won this fixture since 1992. Terry Butcher’s men got their first win on the road last weekend up in Inverness but go into this game still minus several key players.
Alan McCormack, Martyn Corrigan, Kevin McBride and Scott Leitch are all still out for the Lanarkshire side but Shaun Fagan should return to the side. Falkirk boss John Hughes will hope that midfield talisman Russell Latapy will be fit to play after picking up a slight groin strain in training. Veteran John O’Neill (back) and goalkeeper Alan Ferguson (Achilles) are both out.
After their European heroics in midweek, it’s back to league business for Rangers and they play Kilmarnock at Ibrox. Amazingly, Killie are above Rangers in the league going into this fixture as they sit proudly in third place with the Gers 3 points further back in fifth.
Peter Lovenkrands is Alex McLeish’s only worry as he was forced off with injury in the Porto game. Kilmarnock, who have won 4 out of their last 5 league games, include Peter Leven and skipper Gary Lockein in their squad after both missed last Saturday’s win over Dunfermline.
Easter Road plays host to Sunday’s big game as Celtic travel to Edinburgh to face Hibs. The Hibees are in a rich vein of form at the moment having won their last 4 league games, and will provide a stiff test for a resurgent Celtic.
Scott Brown, Gary Smith and Michael Stewart all went off injured for the home side in their UEFA Cup tie with Dnipro in midweek. Brown and Smith are definitely out, while a late decision will be made on the fitness of ex-Manchester United and Hearts man Stewart.
Gordon Strachan has Didier Agathe and Stephen Pearson back in his ranks after long-term injuries, but it’s likely that both will have to settle for a place on the bench.
Thomas O’Sullivan
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