Scottish Premiership match previews, news, predictions, live on Sky Sports | Football News

May 13, 2022 admin

News, stats and predictions for the final round of the Scottish Premiership.

Celtic vs Motherwell – Saturday, 12.15pm, live on Sky Sports Football

Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic will play their last games for champions Celtic against Motherwell after almost 10 years of service with both players leaving for pastures new.

Right-back Josip Juranovic is available again after shrugging off a knock. Manager Ange Postecoglou is likely to freshen the side up for the trophy day game.

More Motherwell players have been hit by the bug that has affected their squad in recent games and Graham Alexander will see who is available on Saturday morning before selecting his team.

Mark O’Hara missed the midweek win against Hearts through illness while the likes of Kevin van Veen, Bevis Mugabi, Liam Grimshaw and Kaiyne Woolery have been struggling.

On-loan Celtic midfielder Liam Shaw drops out against his parent club while Jordan Roberts, Nathan McGinley, Barry Maguire, Scott Fox and Sondre Solholm are injured.

Opta stats

Celtic have won each of their last 11 league meetings with Motherwell by an aggregate score of 34-5.
Motherwell have lost each of their last 10 league visits to Celtic by an aggregate score of 3-31 since a 2-1 victory in December 2015.
Celtic have won their 52nd Scottish top-flight title, second only to Rangers (55). The Hoops have won 10 of the last 11 Scottish titles.
Motherwell have won both of their last two league games, this after only winning one of their previous 15 beforehand (D6 L8). The Steelmen last won three league matches in a row in August/September.

How to follow: Follow the action with our dedicated live match blog including in-game clips, with free match highlights published on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel later that evening.

Hearts vs Rangers – Saturday, 12.15pm

Toby Sibbick has been declared fit for Hearts. The defender was taken off on a stretcher against Motherwell in midweek with what looked like a knee injury but has recovered.

John Souttar and Craig Halkett (both ankle) could come into the reckoning but Beni Baningime remains sidelined long term with cruciate damage.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will ring the changes. The Light Blues boss is preparing for the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt next Wednesday night and is likely to rest several key players.

Kemar Roofe continues his recovery from a knee injury and Ryan Jack is working his way back from a knock while defender Filip Helander (foot), striker Alfredo Morelos (thigh) and attacker Ianis Hagi (knee) are out for the season.

Opta stats

Hearts have only won one of their last 15 league meetings with Rangers (D3 L11), a 2-1 victory in January 2020 under Daniel Stendel.
Rangers have lost just one of their last 17 away league games (W12 D4), a 0-3 defeat at this season’s Scottish champions Celtic in February.
Hearts and Rangers last met on the final matchday of a top-flight season in 2005-06, a game Rangers won 2-0 thanks to a Kris Boyd brace.
Rangers have lost just one of their last 17 away league games (W12 D4), a 0-3 defeat at this season’s Scottish champions Celtic in February.

Ross County vs Dundee United – Saturday, 12.15pm

Malky Mackay is looking for Ross County to finish the season on a high against Dundee United on Saturday as he looks to the future.

The Staggies boss has indicated the home fans could see some youngsters in action against the Tannadice outfit.

Goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s season has been ended by a shoulder injury.

United head coach Tam Courts utilised his squad over the past week to keep players fresh for Dingwall.

The likes of Charlie Mulgrew and Tony Watt could come back into the team. Marc McNulty (knee), Max Biamou (thigh), Ian Harkes (ankle) and Peter Pawlett (Achilles) are out while Calum Butcher is also unlikely to feature because of a personal issue.

Opta stats

Ross County have only won one of their last nine Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (D1 L7), a 2-0 win in May 2021.
Dundee United are unbeaten in their last four Scottish Premiership visits to Ross County (W3 D1), last losing in August 2015 (2-1).
Ross County have lost both of their last two home league games, last losing three in succession back in December 2020.
Dundee United have only won one of their last 13 away league outings (D6 L6), a 2-1 win at St. Mirren in March.

Aberdeen vs St Mirren – Sunday, 12pm

Opta stats

Aberdeen are unbeaten in 13 home league meetings with St. Mirren (W6 D7) since a 0-1 defeat in May 2011.
St. Mirren have won two of their three league meetings with Aberdeen this season (L1); they had only won one of their previous 22 such encounters with the Dons before this term (D12 L9).
A league-high 70 per cent of Aberdeen’s points in this season’s Scottish Premiership have been won at home (28/40). St. Mirren, however, have earned a higher ratio of their points in the division this term away from home than any other side (53 per cent – 23/43).
St. Mirren haven’t conceded a goal in any of their last three league games. They last kept four consecutive clean sheets within a single top-flight campaign in January 2009 under Gus MacPherson.

Hibernian vs St. Johnstone – Sunday, 12pm

Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous is struggling with illness ahead of Sunday’s visit of St Johnstone.

Two unnamed players are also doubts because of knocks ahead of the final cinch Premiership game of the season.

Paul Hanlon, Scott Allan, Chris Cadden, Drey Wright, Christian Doidge, Kevin Nisbet and Kyle Magennis all remain absent.

Saints have several players struggling with niggles and they will be rested ahead of the play-off final.

Callum Davidson will also leave out any player who is at risk of getting a suspension.

Craig Bryson (ankle), Chris Kane and David Wotherspoon (both knee) are long-term absentees.

Opta stats

Hibernian have won two of their three league meetings with St. Johnstone this season (D1), while they last defeated them three times in a single top-flight campaign in 2001-02.
St. Johnstone have only lost one of their last nine away league visits to Hibernian (W4 D4), a 1-0 defeat in September of this season.
Hibernian have drawn each of their last four home league games; the last side to draw five home games in a row in the Scottish Premiership were opponents St. Johnstone in August 2015.
St. Johnstone are guaranteed to finish 11th in the Scottish Premiership this season, and therefore face a play-off to remain in the division next season. They were last relegated from the top-flight in 2001-02.

Livingston vs Dundee – Sunday, 12pm

Livingston could hand some farewell appearances to players against Dundee after all but securing seventh place in the cinch Premiership.

Jack McMillan and Alan Forrest are set to play their last games for the club while Odin Bailey, Caleb Chukwuemeka, Adam Lewis and Sebastian Soto will conclude their loan spells.

Bruce Anderson is still out with an ankle problem, while James Penrice and Tom Parkes are absent following surgery.

Dundee could field some more young players after their relegation was confirmed in midweek.

Josh Mulligan netted his first league goal in Tuesday’s win over Hibernian while Finlay Robertson could get game time.

Goalkeeper Adam Legzdins, defender Lee Ashcroft (hamstring) and striker Cillian Sheridan (Achilles) remain sidelined.

Opta stats

Livingston have won both of their last two league games against Dundee; they have never previously won three in a row against them in the top-flight.
Dundee lost their last away league game at Livingston 2-0 in January; they have never previously lost successive away games against the Lions in the top-flight.
Livingston are unbeaten in five league matches (W2 D3), last going longer without defeat from December 2020 to February 2021, when they avoided defeat in each of David Martindale’s first 11 league games in charge.
Dundee have been relegated from the Scottish Premiership, making them the first newly-promoted side to suffer relegation from the top-flight since Dundee themselves in 2012-13.

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