Celtic v Falkirk
Celtic have lost Gary Caldwell to Wigan and Chris Killen, Willo Flood and Barry Robson to Middlesbrough, but will have £2m new Dutch defender Jos Hooiveld available, along with Korean Ki Sung Yeung for a match against the Clydesdale Bank Premier League’s bottom club - a team against whom they have scored 17 goals in the last five meetings.  But Falkirk have brought in ex-Celt Colin Healy on loan from Ipswich and signed ex-West Brom midfielder Jack Compton from Blue Square South team Weston-Super-Mare.  Celtic haven't lost at home to Falkirk since October 1994, when Nicky Henderson and John Clark scored in a 2-0 win.

Dundee United v Hibernian
Sides who could barely be more evenly-matched - with 55 wins apiece in their league meetings.  Their previous meeting this season was a 1-1 draw in October and five of the last six games between the sides at Tannadice were drawn.  Both sides will have new goalkeepers - Hibs' Graeme Smith facing his first away fixture after his move from Brighton and new United 'keeper Dusan Pernis will be hoping for a repeat of his good start in the win at Partick Thistle last weekend as United continue under interim boss Peter Houston.

Hamilton Academical v Rangers
Rangers will be without top scorer Kris Boyd, who is out for four weeks after a groin operation after he limped off during the cup-tie between the sides last Sunday, although Steve Davis should recover from the dead leg he sustained in the same 3-3 draw.  Accies will have their new signing, the former Hibs and St Mirren defender David van Zanten, available after his move from Morton.  Accies haven't beaten Rangers since the famous Ibrox Scottish Cup-tie in January 1987 and haven't won against them on home turf since December 1938. The sides meet again three days later in the Scottish Cup replay.

Hearts v St Mirren
St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson is now the longest-serving manager in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League following Jim Jefferies' exit from Kilmarnock.  His team have won two and drawn two of their last six visits to Tynecastle and came from behind to win the previous meeting of the sides in October.  They've also lost only one of their last five games and their win over Aberdeen on Tuesday takes them within a point of the sixth-placed Dons.

Kilmarnock v Motherwell
Killie, without a manager after parting company with Jim Jefferies on Monday, have been linked with bringing former 'Well boss Tommy McLean in on a short-term basis and have been given permission to speak to Queen of the South manager Gordon Chisholm.  Kilmarnock were Motherwell's bogey team last season with three wins and a draw in four meetings of the sides, but Motherwell, under former boss Jim Gannon, redressed the balance with a 3-1 Fir Park win in August.  Interim 'Well manager Craig Brown will be eager to see his side in action having only taken charge for one match so far.

St Johnstone v Aberdeen
Mark McGhee is continuing his Pittodrie restructuring and the club will listen to offers for striker Tommy Wright while defender Maurice Ross looks to be heading to Chinese outfit Beijing Guoan.  St Johnstone haven't won any of the last nine meetings of the sides - since Paul Kane's last-minute winner in May 2000.

By cbfootball.co.uk   Last updated: 08 February 2010