Scottish Premiership fixtures 2018-19: Celtic open title defence v promoted Livingston; Rangers start at Aberdeen
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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has been busy reshaping the squad at Ibrox
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard says he is relishing "juicy fixtures" to start the Premiership season despite facing three away games in their first four.
Champions Celtic start the season at home to promoted Livingston.
But Rangers visit Aberdeen on 5 August, host St Mirren, then are at Motherwell before the first Old Firm derby.
"They are exciting games - obviously three away out of the four, which is a challenge in itself," Gerrard said after the fixtures were announced.
"I am looking forward to every game, Celtic being one of them - home and away.
"They are really juicy fixtures and we are looking forward to the challenge."
Aberdeen have finished runners-up ahead of Rangers two seasons running and Gerrard was asked if visiting Pittodrie might come too early as he reshapes his squad.
"I don't think there's any such thing as too early," the former Liverpool midfielder replied. "It is Aberdeen away, it's a tough game, they're got a fantastic manager, they've got good players.
"It will be a tough game for us. But, at the same time, it will be tough for them.
"They are going to be playing against a different Rangers team with a different manager with a different way of playing."
Aberdeen forward Niall McGinn hoped his side would benefit from the spotlight being on Gerrard for that game.
"Everyone will be concentrating on Rangers and Steven Gerrard's first game of the season," he said.
"There probably won't be too much hype around us, as there usually is, so we will go about our own business.
"There is no bigger game for an Aberdeen fan than to come up against Rangers in the first game of the season."
Celtic celebrated a seventh league title in a row last season
Gerrard is an old Liverpool derby adversary of new St Mirren manager Alan Stubbs, the former Everton defender, and the Rangers manager said "now the rivalry's back on" as he looked forward to hosting the Buddies in his first league match at Ibrox.
St Mirren striker Cammy Smith thinks Stubbs is the ideal replacement for Jack Ross, who left for Sunderland after leading his side to the Championship title.
"The boys are buzzing and can't wait to get going again and work under him," he said.
"Starting at home to Dundee and then away to Rangers, it is two brilliant games to kick-start the season."
Meanwhile, the first Edinburgh derby of the season is scheduled for 31 October.
The other Premiership matches on the opening weekend see Hamilton Academical host Hearts, Hibernian play Motherwell and Kilmarnock tackle St Johnstone.
Partick Thistle, relegated from the top flight after a play-off defeat by Livingston, begin life in the Championship away at promoted Ayr United.
Ross County, who finished bottom of the Premiership, host Alloa Athletic, who won their play-off to come up from League One.
There will be two sets of fixtures before the weekend of 18-19 August is used for Scottish League Cup second-round matches, when Scotland's four European representatives - Celtic, Aberdeen, Rangers and Hibernian - enter the competition.
After the first Old Firm derby at Celtic Park, Rangers will host Celtic on the weekend of 29/30 December, with a further scheduled meeting between the two Glasgow giants at the home of the champions on the weekend of 30/31 March.
The top flight will again have a winter break, from 31 December, with the Premiership resuming on 23 January, and the campaign ending on the weekend of 18-19 May.
Opening Premiership weekend in full
Saturday 4 August:
Celtic v Livingston
Hamilton Academical v Heart of Midlothian
Hibernian v Motherwell
Kilmarnock v St Johnstone
St Mirren v Dundee
Sunday 5 August:
Aberdeen v Rangers