Aberdeen v Hearts
Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee has told Sone Aluko to use his involvement with Nigeria to boost his club performances.  Hearts' injury-plagued Marius Zaliukas is out for another three weeks but there's better news for manager Csaba Laszlo as he's likely to have utility man Eggert Jonsson available after seven weeks out with a stomach injury.  The team will also be boosted both by Craig Thomson winning the Clydesdale Bank Young Player of the Month award for September and Lee Wallace making his Scotland debut in Japan.  Another tight encounter is likely - in the last five meetings, two have been drawn and the others have been settled by one goal.
 
Celtic v Motherwell
Table-topping Celtic hope to bounce back from their Old Firm defeat but manager Tony Mowbray is sweating over striker Marc-Antoine Fortune and midfielder Scott Brown.  Motherwell's win at Parkhead last season was their first in 13 visits but Jim Gannon's side are unbeaten away from home this season.  Jamie Murphy was the Scotland under-21 hero last weekend but there was a blow for his side this week when it was revealed talented winger Paul Slane requires a second operation on a leg problem.
 
Dundee United v Hamilton Academical
United will be without suspended Ghanaian midfielder Prince Buaben.  Accies manager Billy Reid put his side through a 'mini pre-season' this week because so many players have joined the club since the summer.  Accies lost only once in four meetings with United last season but haven't won at Tannadice since 1989, when Colin Harris' goal helped already-relegated Accies to their first away win that season - on its final day!
 
Falkirk v St Mirren
Saints hope Andy Dorman will make his international debut next week after the Welsh F.A. confirmed they are interested in calling the midfielder up under the new 'schooling' rule.  Gus MacPherson will have Lee Mair back after a rib injury.  They won on both their visits to Falkirk last season and a repeat would increase the problems for bottom-of-the-table Falkirk, who are still without a win this season.
 
Hibernian v Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock have drawn their last three Clydesdale Bank Premier League games but their 4-2 win at Easter Road last December was their biggest away win last season.  Jim Jefferies has Kevin Kyle and Garry Hay available but new singing Mark Burchill is still a fortnight away from fitness.  Hibs go into the game undefeated in three league games and with manager John Hughes challenging striker Derek Riordan to prove to George Burley he deserves more than the 15 minutes he got for Scotland as a sub in Japan.
 
St Johnstone v Rangers  (Sat 12.30)
First league meeting of the sides in seven years - and Saints haven't beaten Rangers since Momo Sylla's winner in October 2000.  Their longest-serving player Peter MacDonald is inching towards fitness after seven months out with a torn hamstring.  He played a bounce game against Hamilton last week.  Gers hope to have Pedro Mendes available after his international games for Portugal.

By cbfootball.co.uk   Last updated: 19 October 2009