Scottish Premiership: Fans' verdict on the festive midweek action

The season of goodwill to all? Aye, right. Not when you've just seen your team sucker-punched in stoppage time by your fiercest rivals, or given the runaround by the league leaders.

But for all the bah humbug tendencies of disgruntled Hibees and Dundee fans among others, there's plenty of festive cheer down Tynecastle way where man of the moment Lawrence Shankland makes Hearts swell.

The Scotland striker was the Edinburgh derby hero at Easter Road, earning Steven Naismith's men the sweetest of dramatic victories and leaving Hibs hurting.

Elsewhere in the midweek action, Celtic cruised to victory at Dundee, bottom club Livingston again couldn't buy a goal as they fought out a stalemate with St Johnstone, and St Mirren's struggles continued with defeat by upwardly mobile Kilmarnock.

First stop, Edinburgh derby. Let the praise and venting commence...

Sam: There was nothing fancy or spectacular from either side but Shankland once again showing why he's arguably the best striker in Scotland, coming up with another huge goal for Hearts. There is still a definite class difference between Hearts and Hibs this season and pushing on, Steven Naismith might be the man to lead Hearts to bigger things.

Billy: Hearts should give Shankland a huge wage rise to keep him, we can't afford to lose him.

Chris: A game that lacked any real quality but as the manager said, we found a way to win. More accurately, Shankland found a way to win. He is priceless to the club. Media speculation about £2-3m offers from Rangers is just laughable. He can do what Rangers' expensive strikers can't: he scores goals. £10m or we keep him. Simple.

Alan: It's a no-brainer even for the bean counters that we need to make Shankland the best offer we can afford. If he can't be persuaded to sign an extension we should keep him for the remaining 18 months of his contract. Europe's on this year and next with him in the team and given it's worth £5m a season we'd be quids in and have a very happy fanbase too.

Dave: As a mad Jambo for more than 60 years, I'd be gutted if we sold him to Rangers of all teams. Hearts have to break their strict wage structure to keep Shankland. His goals pay for the team's bonuses after all.

And now to the green half of Edinburgh....

Andrew: I'm gutted. We were very close to stopping a very prolific goalscorer. We matched Hearts all over the park, we even matched them on penalties missed. Let's not tear ourselves apart. We go again very soon.

Colin: The difference was they had an in-form striker and we didn't. Just like against St Johnstone an individual mistake cost us another three points. We're just not consistent or clinical enough.

Disco: Four losses from his four biggest games (three in Glasgow and last night). Nick Montgomery continues the trend of the post-Alan Stubbs and Neil Lennon era. The tactics never change: sit deep and keep the ball until the other team make a mistake.

John: Derek Adams is right - the lack of ability in Scottish football was there to see. The only way either team would score was with a mistake and Rocky Bushiri duly obliged. The lack of goals from our forwards and midfield is a concern.

Dicky: We were absolute garbage, we need a clearout. Bushiri and Lewis Miller were the worst offenders. This style of football is rubbish, the players are not good enough to carry it out.

Livi boss feels heat & St Mirren in 'relegation form' as Killie prosper

David Martindale is under scrutiny from the support after rock-bottom Livingston's goalless draw with St Johnstone made it 11 games without victory

Terry: Martindale is certainly on thin ice given his record this season as the manager of a club with a board constantly in turmoil. They need to take responsibility and understand the decision to buy a striker for the new year. It shows the amateur nature of what is a huge, huge failure.

Wes: How long can this farce continue? Other managers would have been down the road by now.

St Mirren fans are pining for the halcyon days of early season after another dispiriting defeat, this time going down 1-0 at home to Kilmarnock.

Stuart: I thought we started well but our form has fallen off. We've gone from every player playing at the top of their game, to every player playing well below par. We've become a bit predictable, and the form in the last 10 games would put us in the relegation zone, not looking at a European place. Celtic and Rangers next, oh dear.

Graeme: If you can't score you lose eventually. The players are trying but changing the selection every game is not working. Stephen Robinson is trying to find a goalscoring solution but you've got to give a partnership at least two or three games to blend rather than changing the selection every game. I'd also give Alex Gogic the captaincy and let Mark O'Hara play his game.

Remember when Kilmarnock were reliably rotten on the road? It's changed days now, with Derek McInnes' men picking up two wins in a four-game unbeaten away run without conceding.

James: Well done again. Our back four were tremendous and Will Dennis was solid in goal. Marley Watkins has turned the corner and is becoming a nuisance to the opposition. My only complaint is that we are letting the opposition into the game too much. We need to kill these games off better, otherwise keep it up.

George: Derek McInnes came in, won the league, kept us in the league and people were not happy. I have said to a few friends let's judge him when he brings in his own players, he's the man. Another brilliant result again, things are looking good. Killie fans need to get back to the games.

Amy: A well-deserved three points. We're electric going forward when we need to be but not enough is said about us defensively. We handled St Mirren easily all match. Superb from Kilmarnock once again.

'Delighted with three points before the big one on Saturday'

Celtic warmed up for the Glasgow derby by racking up chances galore and three goals in a one-sided win at Dundee.

Peter: Some team is going to get a right thumping soon from Celtic, with the chances being created and spurned. There's no better time for that to happen than the next match. Kyogo to get a hat-trick and all will be well again.

Christopher: I'm delighted with the three points before the big one on Saturday. At times you could see the style Brendan Rodgers is trying to bring from his trophy-laden first spell. I'm seriously concerned about the off-form Kyogo Furuhashi, though. Daizen Maeda offers nothing either, except pace. We need to turn up on Saturday and win, it's that simple.

Robert: Celtic played well but there was no one to take charge in front of goal. We need a striker who can cause problems in the box for defenders and a strong personality in the midfield who will command and push them more.

Gordy: A much better performance but we are still wasting great chances to kill games early. Luis Palma and Paulo Bernardo continue to impress, if we can get Liel Abada and Reo Hatate back for the final round of matches we will be in a good place.

The defeat didn't go down well with those of a Dark Blue persuasion...

Bob: Not very often that I can say this but we were poor all round, it was attack against defence the whole game. I can accept getting beat 3-0 but at least have a go.

Carl: The wrong team selection, wrong formation and wrong tactics meant we were beaten before we started. Our lack of width meant Celtic had a free pass on both wings and they used it to their benefit. We were outclassed by a better team.

Alister: Extremely poor tactics and game-plan in the second half. Trevor Carson yet again let in two bad goals, the same as he did at Motherwell a couple of weeks ago. We have zero decent strikers and Malachi Boateng can't compete in the midfield on his own. For some time now, players are just turning up and going through the motions.

Kenneth: We had nothing to offer. Very disappointing midfield was never in the game while the keeper had a nightmare after Christmas. Not one player can say they had a good game. Have to do better. Very poor.