#Scottish Premiership

#Scottish Premiership

No prizes for guessing this one. Our pick for game of the weekend could not be anywhere else as the Premiership's top two face off at Tynecastle with a five-point gap wedged between them. Chat of a title challenge from Hearts is becoming more serious by the week, while Celtic appear to be on the verge of a crisis. Defeat for Brendan Rodgers' men, who beat Sturm Graz on Thursday, would stretch open a scarcely-believable eight-point advantage for Derek McInnes' side.

A deal to appoint Kevin Muscat as Russell Martin's successor collapsed because the former Rangers defender wants to complete the Chinese Super League season with current club Shanghai Port. (Daily Record), external Rangers have intimated they are now not prepared to wait until December for Muscat, putting Rohl firmly back on the agenda. (The Scotsman), external Muscat is believed to have concerns over the recruitment model at Rangers. (TalkSport)

Four draws and a defeat has Martin's side one point behind their West Lothian hosts - albeit having played a game fewer - in their worst league start in 48 years. Rangers are winless in six league games - stretching back into last season - (D5 L1), the joint-longest run in their entire history (level with six other runs of six, most recently in December 2005).

It's been a tremendous journey throughout the past two years and I'm incredibly pleased with what we've built here. I said when I arrived that I wanted to give the supporters a team that they can be proud of and I believe, as a collective, we have achieved that thus far. We're building something sustainable, something with identity, and I truly believe we're only scratching the surface of what we can achieve together.

Image source, Getty Images Scotland striker Kevin Nisbet has returned to Aberdeen from Millwall for a fee in the region of 300,000 and on a three-year deal. The 28-year-old spent last season on loan at Pittodrie but has now has signed a three-year contract with the Scottish Premiership club. Nisbet, who has 11 caps for his country, was sold to Millwall by Hibernian in summer 2023, signing a three-year contract.

Rangers and Celtic rounded off a difficult week for both teams by playing out a dour 0-0 draw that will do little to ease the pressure on either Russell Martin or Brendan Rodgers. The Old Firm pair were each humiliated in the Champions League, Celtic beaten on penalties by Kairat as they exited the competition in the playoff round, with Rangers also failing to reach the league phase as a 6-0 loss to Club Brugge condemned them to a 9-1 aggregate defeat.