Cerny, Wimmer & Hibs v Celtic in spotlight

A weekend of tasty match-ups awaits in the Scottish Premiership.

As they come down from the high of being so close to knocking Bayern Munich out of the Champions League, leaders Celtic visit fifth-placed Hibernian.

Meanwhile, second-bottom Dundee visit the side just above them, Ross County, and bottom-of-the table St Johnstone host fourth-bottom Heart of Midlothian in what could be a crucial weekend for the sides most threatened by relegation.

Here are some things to look out for.

Game of weekend - Hibernian v Celtic

Two sides go head to head at Easter Road who currently are making their rivals green with envy.

Celtic, of course, earned the plaudits for going toe-to-toe with Bayern until an unfortunate deflection handed the Bundesliga leaders a Champions League aggregate win deep into stoppage time in Munich on Tuesday.

Hibs, meanwhile, are on a 12-game unbeaten run and have not conceded a goal in their latest three outings.

However, Celtic were the last team to beat David Gray's side - 3-0 in Glasgow in December - their fifth victory in a row over the Leith outfit since a goalless draw at Easter Road in October 2023.

That was their third victory over Hibs this season with an aggregate score of 8-1.

Indeed, Hibs have beaten Celtic just once in their latest 24 meetings, their most recent win coming in May 2023 - a 4-2 success at Easter Road under Lee Johnson.

In addition to their fine Champions League run, Brendan Rodgers' side have won three in a row in the Premiership with an aggregate of 12-1 to maintain their 13-point lead at the top of the table.

Hibs' improved form, though, has lifted them into fifth, now just three points behind Dundee United - and they will have renewed belief that they can follow in the footsteps of Aston Villa and Bayern, the only two sides to have beaten Celtic in 13 outings.

Player to watch - Vaclav Cerny (Rangers)

Vaclav Cerny scored in Rangers' 2-1 win over St Mirren at Ibrox in October

Vaclav Cerny has done more than most at Ibrox to keep under-pressure manager Philippe Clement in a job.

The on-loan Wolfsburg winger scored Rangers' second goal and set them on their way to victory over Hearts last weekend as the Ibrox side bounced back from their embarrassing Scottish Cup exit at home to Queen's Park seven days earlier.

Cerny drew a blank in that Glasgow derby defeat, but the 27-year-old has been most prolific at Ibrox, with eight of his 10 Premiership goals having come in front of his own fans.

That is the most of any player for any side on home soil in the competition this term and St Mirren will probably have to prevent the Czech Republic international adding to his 14 goals in all competitions if they are to match the 2-1 win they enjoyed in Paisley in December.

If they did so, it would be the first time they will have beaten Rangers in back-to-back league meetings since three in a row in 1979-80.

However, the Buddies' four points since the turn of the year is the least in the division along with Aberdeen and Motherwell, while Rangers' 20 are more than any other side and they are looking to win six league games in a row by a margin of at least two goals for the first time since December 2009.

Manager in spotlight - Michael Wimmer (Motherwell)

Visiting a side who have suffered four defeats in a row - and only one win in six - presents a great opportunity for Michael Wimmer in his debut as Motherwell manager.

Especially as they have already beaten Saturday's hosts Dundee United in all three meetings this season - and won four in a row all told.

In saying that, the 44-year-old German inherits a side who themselves have lost five in succession - and are without a win in six.

Four of those defeats have come in the Premiership and they have not lost five in a row since January 2015 - when, you might have guessed it, their fifth was a 3-1 defeat at Tannadice.

Well will be hoping for the much-vaunted new manager bounce this time after the appointment of former Austria Vienna boss Wimmer.

Following the recent resignation of Stuart Kettlewell citing personal abuse that was affecting his family, it will be interesting to see how quickly the new boss is able to deliver to their fans the intense, attacking football he has promised.

German football expert Derek Rae described to BBC Scotland the choice of Wimmer as a "calculated gamble" given his only spell as a manager ended in May after only 16 wins in 47 matches in Austria's Bundesliga.

However, Wimmer has a reputation for developing young players during coaching spells with Nuremberg, Augsburg and Stuttgart, just what you need when you have 18-year-old Lennon Miller as your key figure.

Despite poor results, United are still in a healthy fourth spot, while Well are a mere six points behind and only behind sixth-top St Mirren on goal difference, albeit also just four ahead of Dundee in the relegation play-off spot.

United have not lost three times in a row at home to the Steelmen in the top-flight since May 2000. Match that and Wimmer would be quickly on to a winner.