The final Scottish Premiership Saturday before a long international break features five top-flight games, with the top two due to meet in Sunday’s Old Firm derby. The weekend’s fixtures carry different pressures: some clubs are looking for a confidence boost, while others are trying to avoid three weeks of frustration.
Hibernian go into their game against Aberdeen under a huge cloud after the sacking of David Gray. Tuesday’s dismal defeat by Kilmarnock ended Gray’s tenure as head coach and his 12-year stay at Easter Road, though it does not affect his legendary status given his exploits as a player. John Potter has been placed in interim charge and must lift a group that has lost three Premiership games in a row. Hibs are also hoping to avoid a club record seventh successive home loss in the league, a run stretching back to last season. Murmurs of discontent among the fanbase run beyond Gray, and the hierarchy will be desperate for a performance and victory amid uncertainty over the long-term direction of the club.
Aberdeen will not be in the mood to ease Hibs’ woes. After a similarly difficult start to the season, the Dons progressed to the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup with a penalty shootout win over Kilmarnock before thumping Motherwell 4-0 on Tuesday. Head coach Stephen Robinson spoke about the growing confidence among his squad, and it was evident at Fir Park. Moroccan forward Ayoub Mouloua typified that with his bag of flicks and tricks and his wonderful goal, and he could provide Robinson with an exciting option moving forward. Before the Motherwell win, Aberdeen had gone four league games without a win and without a goal. They could go as high as fourth with a win on Saturday, which would be a remarkable turnaround for Robinson and his players.
Kilmarnock are another side whose manager and players had come under serious pressure. They eased some of the disquiet around Rugby Park with a 1-0 win at Easter Road, their first league victory of the season. Manager Neil McCann bristled afterwards, insisting he maintained confidence despite taking one point from their first five outings. More than the result, it was the performance and the clean sheet that will have heartened McCann. Killie had shipped 14 league goals before their trip to Edinburgh, but they were much improved at the back and, in truth, should have won by a greater margin. If they are to climb off the bottom of the table, they need to back up their midweek win with another three points against opposition from the capital.
Heart of Midlothian suffered a surprise defeat by Falkirk on Tuesday after four straight league wins — and nine overall without defeat — and head coach Wouter Vrancken was open in his disappointment in the performance level. “It was not just out of possession we didn’t play our best game, but in possession was, I think, the worst game we played,” he said. “We didn’t push the opponent in decision-making and defensively then it’s easy to defend and that’s not how we want to play.” Indeed, two derby successes against Hibs are Hearts’ only victories in their past 10 away trips in the Premiership. They lost on their last visit to Rugby Park in March and they head to Ayrshire with injuries leaving them short in defence and central midfield. Set-pieces could be key, with third-top Hearts having scored a league-high four goals from those this season, while Kilmarnock’s five goals conceded is the most in the division.
Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson described the 4-0 defeat at home to Aberdeen as “a bump in the road”, but with one win in seven outings, the Fir Park project is in danger of veering off course. The Swede takes his side to Dundee having not won in five away games since defeating Hibs on the opening weekend of the Premiership season. Johansson stressed that it is “a learning process” with “10 new players in the door”, but that is hardly unique given how common such a high turnover in personnel has become in the league. Having earned plaudits for continuing the adventurous passing style so successful for predecessor Jens Berthel Askou, he has “massive belief” that his “super committed” players will reach the great potential he sees in them. Dens Park is the kind of venue where he will need to take points if another top-six finish is achievable, especially so when Dundee have not won in their latest two home games and three overall. With six first-team players missing through injury or suspension, Steven Pressley is lamenting “probably one of the most challenging periods, in terms of injuries, in my time as a head coach”. So much so that 21-year-old striker Joe Westley has opted not to have surgery to repair a fractured cheekbone and trained in a protective mask. However, considering Ryan Finnigan leads the Premiership statistics for tackles, Owen Bevan has made the most interceptions, while Ethan Hamilton has won most possession, Dundee have the ideal ingredients to disrupt Motherwell’s free-flowing style and put another spanner in the works.