Boothy’s predictions

Our resident expert Scott Booth will run his eye over the weekend's Clydesdale Bank Premier League fixtures each week and give his big match predictions.

As a former Scottish international striker and current Setanta Sports Scottish football analyst we feel he's pretty qualified to give a weekly run down of who's doing what in the SPL, check out his latest predictions here.

Aberdeen 1 - 0 Hearts

Aberdeen have the bit between their teeth at the moment which has resulted in a real turnaround in their league position. They're now within touching distance of third spot and looking a very confident outfit. Lee Miller continues to impress and will look forward to his old side's visit to the Granite City more than most. Hearts too are on a great run so it should be the proverbial Christmas cracker at Pittodrie. Now that the Dons are well into their stride and with a festive crowd behind them the points should go their way but given how hard Csaba Laszlo's side are to break down I expect there will only be a goal in it.

Dundee Utd 2 - 0 Falkirk

Like Hearts and Aberdeen, Craig Levein's men are well in the hunt for third spot and since beating the Dons a few months ago, to record their first league win of the season, they haven't looked back. Once again they are solid at the back, inventive in midfield and far more potent in attack. All attributes which should help them out gun Falkirk at Tannadice this weekend. John Hughes' men didn't play badly in their defeat at the hands of Celtic last weekend but they just found quality in the final third difficult to come by.  That's something they will have to put right if they want to record their first win in six matches against the strong favourites in this encounter.

Hibernian 1 - 1 Kilmarnock

Hibs were unbeaten in five matches prior to their incredibly difficult away trip to Ibrox last week in which they finally succumbed, like so many have before, to a Kris Boyd wonder strike. Nevertheless Mixu Paatelainen will remain positive about his side's form and will surely attempt to capitalise on this home fixture. With eleven goals in six matches, the Edinburgh club has the edge over Kilmarnock when it comes to beating goalies, but Jim Jefferies' side have already won in difficult places this season so Easter Road will not prove to be too daunting a venue for a club only four points behind their hosts with a game in hand.

Motherwell 2 - 1 Inverness CT

This is a massive match for two sides who are really struggling to find their feet in the SPL this season. Motherwell were hugely disappointing against local rivals Hamilton in Setanta's live match last Monday night. Poor defending, a lack of fluency and guile in midfield, and a luckless strike force has meant points are almost impossible to come by for a side that showed consistency and class last season. Inverness CT are finding it equally tough having now lost four on the bounce, conceding nine goals in that period. Both clubs need a win badly and, if it comes, are capable of competing once more for a top six place.  However, worrying for both managers is the reality that the longer they go without picking up three points the more likely they'll sink into a relegation dog fight. I keep saying Motherwell have too much quality in their side to continue this terrible run... it's now time for them to prove it!

Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

I really cannot wait for this Old Firm clash! Unbelievably difficult to call but someone has to do it! I'll start with Celtic. They had been in great form up until recently when a combination of an inability to find the net, tough opposition and an ever increasing injury list brought their fantastic twelve match unbeaten league run to an end. A makeshift eleven swept aside Falkirk last week and despite very good performances all over the park the side had a less physical feel to it than I imagine Gordon Strachan would want going into a fixture in which he has emphasised the need for height and power in the past. That said, those tactics haven't provided him with too many points against Rangers under his tenure so a change in style, incorporating the likes of Nakamura, Mizuno and even Crosas, could surprise Walter Smith. Such an approach would of course leave them even more vulnerable at set pieces but it may be a risk he has to take.

The home side will fancy their chances in this one. No McGeady, Maloney, Vennegoor of Hesselink and possibly McManus should boost Rangers' confidence of claiming all three points and closing the gap on their biggest rivals to just one point. Both sides have a special partnership up front who can determine where the points go. I think this pivotal match will come down to whichever combination receives the most quality. All in all, Ibrox should provide enough momentum for Rangers to edge it.

St Mirren 1 - 0 Hamilton

Admittedly I got last week's prediction for St Mirren completely wrong but in my defence, just after I penned my 1 - 0 defeat for the Buddies at the hands of Kilmarnock, I changed my mind and fancied it to go the other way! No...not pulling a fast one...it's true! By the time the results came in I had convinced myself that Gus MacPherson's men had brought in my fifth correct prediction of the weekend!! I'm losing it... and we're not yet even at the halfway stage in the campaign!  Ok, back to the game. I have to go with St Mirren because I'm becoming a bit of a Chick Young type fan and Billy Reid told me to keep predicting against him... that way he get's all three points! Best of luck to them both.

Scott Booth was talking to Robbie Balfour