Jane Lewis
BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic Park is bursting at the seams and no doubt the vast majority inside the ground will be expecting to see a home side full of intent as they have been since the start of the season.

They've certainly started brightly, their energy very much on show.

A sell-out Pittodrie crowd shouts for a penalty as the ball perhaps strikes Liam Gordon's hand while on the slide.

Did it even hit it? Replays aren't conclusive. The Motherwell centre-half's arm may have been supporting his body anyway.

Arne Engels is well placed as he latches on to Alistair Johnston's cut-back, but the new Celtic midfielder cannot get his foot around the ball enough to turn it on target.

Nearly a perfect first start for the record signing.

Kilmarnock have started brightly. They've already won a corner and winger Danny Armstrong curls the ball a few inches over the bar.

Just what manager Derek McInnes will want.

FYI, Hibs fans...Joe Newell needed surgery on a hernia and that's why the captain is missing from the home midfield this afternoon.

Meanwhile, kick-off is delayed because St Johnstone striker Benjamin Kimpioka doesn't appear to be wearing shin pads...pure Scottish football.

Image source, SNS

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland at Pittodrie

A big crowd at Pittodrie - a sign of the feelgood factor that Jimmy Thelin and his side have generated so far this season.

We're off around the country...Stay with us for the goals as they, hopefully, fly in!

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

A huge game for both sides at Easter Road as Hibernian and St Johnstone look to climb away from the bottom end of the table.

David Gray received a vote of confidence from Hibs owner Ian Gordon in midweek as they search for their first three points of the season and the home crowd will demand success.

For Craig Levein, a win would give them a gap over their rivals at this early stage.

Unbeaten leaders Peterhead entertain third-top Stirling Albion in the fourth tier's game of the day.

Second-top East Fife visit a Stranraer side still seeking their first win, while Elgin City, who have a game in hand, will look to continue their unbeaten run at home to Bonnyrigg Rose.

Bottom side Forfar Athletic must overcome hosts Spartans if they are to end their seven-game run without a win.

• Clyde v Edinburgh City
• Elgin City v Bonnyrigg Rose
• Peterhead v Stirling Albion
• The Spartans v Forfar Athletic
• Stranraer v East Fife

It's a three-way tie at the top of the third tier, with unbeaten Kelty Hearts edging it on goal difference as they entertain Cove Rangers.

League 2 champions Stenhousemuir will hope to continue their good start away to Montrose, while Alloa Athletic will look to extend their unbeaten run at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Meanwhile, bottom side Arbroath visit Queen of the South in their first game since Colin Hamilton and David Gold were confirmed as permanent co-player-managers after an unbeaten start in interim charge.

• Alloa Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
• Annan Athletic v Dumbarton
• Kelty Hearts v Cove Rangers
• Montrose v Stenhousemuir
• Queen of the South v Arbroath

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland at Pittodrie

Aberdeen and Motherwell emerge from an international break they probably would rather have preferred hadn’t happened considering both teams were in very good form going into it.

On the back of nine wins in a row, Dons manager Jimmy Thelin picked up the first Premiership manager of the month award.

The Dons also enjoyed plenty of success against the Steelmen last season, winning three of the four encounters between the sides, while the other ended in a draw.

However, fifth-placed Motherwell have won their latest three themselves and will feel confident they can return from the north-east with a positive result.

Hibernian head coach David Gray: "If you look at the games, there has been improvement throughout them all.

"Conceding late at Kilmarnock made it feel like a defeat, but when you strip it back, you can see the progress we've made.

"If we can deliver three points, the narrative looks very different because it's then unbeaten in three. That's the positive I'm taking."

Gray says Martin Boyle has been playing with a fracture in his hand, so the winger is on the bench to give him a rest, particularly after his exertions for Australia during the international break.

Kilmarnock head to Paisley bottom of the Premiership and without a win in five outings, but history favours Derek McInnes' visitors.

St Mirren are themselves without a victory in six, while the Ayrshire side are unbeaten in eight meetings between the sides since the Buddies scraped through in the Scottish Cup in April 2021 after a penalty shoot-out followed a 3-3 draw at Rugby Park.

Indeed, Killie have won three in a row at the SMiSA Stadium and are undefeated in four visits, all without conceding a goal.

The odds are stacked against a home win in Dingwall, despite County having a greater win-rate - 47.8% - in the Premiership against Dundee than any other opponent.

Tony Docherty's visitors are unbeaten in nine outings this season, while County have suffered three straight defeats and are five without a win.

Dundee are unbeaten in all three meetings last season, winning the latest two without conceding, but have yet to win away from home this season, drawing them both.

Now the Edinburgh Fringe is over, Hibs will look to bring the curtain down on a dismal run of five games without a win, albeit they have drawn their latest two, conceding the lead in both.

Their failings are up front, with their expected goals tally of 3.01 being the worst in the Premiership this season.

Visitors St Johnstone have themselves suffered three straight defeats and were beaten 3-1 the last time the sides met in Perth.

However, Craig Levein's side won 2-1 the last time they were at Easter Road in April - and their last five league wins have all come away from home, including their only victory this term, in Kilmarnock.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland about his incredible record against St Mirren - one loss in 32 games: "The astonishing part is they beat us once - I think we had 10 men that day!

"No, I wasn't aware of that. Sometimes these records are unusual. It doesn't count for anything really. Today, we have to do a lot right to win."

On his team changes, McInnes adds: "Bruce [Anderson] did well against Hibs, but I feel this type of game against St Mirren, there's a lot of directness and physicality.

"Lewis Mayo has picked up a foot injury, Brad Lyons is suspended and Liam Donnelly isn't fit yet, but the team can get the job done."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland at St Mirren Park

One of the more eye-catching stats this week - courtesy of the Pie & Bovril account on X - is that, during his managerial career in Scotland, Derek McInnes has lost just one of 32 matches against St Mirren. An incredible record.

He could be doing with Kilmarnock extending that record today with a win to get them moving away from the bottom spot they currently occupy.

St Mirren fans could get a first glimpse of new signing Kevin Van Veen and will hope he can recapture the free-scoring form he showed during his days with Motherwell.

Talisman Lawrence Shankland embodies the general malaise at Tynecastle, the Scotland striker having failed to score this season despite having the most shots of any player in the Premiership.

However, Shankland's six goals against Celtic in the league since the start of the 2022-23 are as many as he has against any other opponent.

Will he give himself a belated birthday present by scoring against the hosts again four days after turning 29?

Image source, SNS

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Sport Scotland: "We've done okay. We've been good in patches, carried a few injuries. Getting that continuity in the team was difficult.

"We hope to be more settled now. Things are starting to take shape."

Robinson admits that Kilmarnock "had our number last season".

"We didn't beat them at all and that was the difference between fourth and fifth," he says. "The thing with Kilmarnock is there's no surprises.

"We create chances, but we've missed a lot. Kev [van Veen] could fill that void. He's not match fit, he needs more minutes over the next few weeks, but he's lifted spirits and added a new dimension to training."

It is little wonder that reports this week suggest signing Jamie McGrath beyond the end of the midfielder's current contract next summer is one of Jimmy Thelin's priorities now that the transfer window has closed.

The new Aberdeen manager's signing of Norwegian veteran Sivert Heltne Nilsen from Brann to occupy a holding role in midfield has allowed McGrath and Graeme Shinnie to focus on the more creative, attacking sides of their skillset.

Indeed, 27-year-old McGrath has responded by creating more chances (17) and more assists (three) than any other player in the Premiership so far, as well scoring three goals in all competitions.

Thelin will be delighted the Republic of Ireland international has recovered from the head knock that forced him off early in the 1-0 win away to Ross County last time out.

Image source, SNS