Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland in Paisley

It’s quite the challenge Barry Ferguson has laid down to an inconsistent Rangers team; take 15 points from the next five matches.

Especially when it starts against a St Mirren side who have taken six points from a possible nine so far this season when facing the Ibrox outfit.

Let’s see how this one unfolds...

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Scotland at Tynecastle

There are plenty of empty seats around Tynecastle as the fans vent their frustrations at what has been a disappointing campaign for all associated with the club.

Meanwhile, Dundee fans have turned out in good numbers to try and cheer their team on as they battle away to avoid the drop,

This could be interesting.

And now we're off at Tynecastle. The others won't be far behind.

Three o'clock has been and gone and not one game has started...

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Rugby Park

With both sides just a point clear of Dundee in the play-off spot, this game has real significance and could well set the tone over the coming fixtures.

Defeat adds a large dose of pressure. A point might be satisfactory but likely won't change things greatly. A win would be massive for either.

A lot rests on which team turns up and delivers here.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Pittodrie

Two form teams battling for the honour of finishing the season as the – best of the rest – behind the Old Firm.

With just one defeat in their past 11 games in all competitions, the Dons are flying – but not as high as Hibs who are on a remarkable 17-match unbeaten league run.

With the capital club in third place, just three points above today's hosts, you start to see the importance of this one.

Aberdeen's record against David Gray’s side has been poor so far this season – two defeats and a draw – in a fixture which has served up plenty of goals.

And Gray will be hoping that recent history is a sign of what is to come in the Granite City this afternoon.

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Kilmarnock's Brad Lyons has picked up an injury in the warm-up and is replaced by David Watson in the middle of the park.

Stuart Findlay will now captain the hosts, with teenager Ethan Brown promoted to the bench.

Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Sportsound: "Lewis Miller picked up a bit of a knock in training yesterday.

"All we can do is affect what we're doing. It's been something that's worked really well for us all season. Nothing's going to change as far as we're concerned.

"We've got a job in hand. We know it's going to be a real difficult job coming up here. If we keep winning, no-one can catch us.

"We've given ourselves a fantastic opportunity and we've put ourselves in a brilliant opportunity. Strictly nothing's been achieved yet but top six."

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin tells BBC Sportsound: "Today's important. Everybody knows that the focus is on that.

"We have to make a really good performance to catch the three points. and then take it from there. You have to be sharp now and believe in yourself.

"They are good in their transitions and picking up second balls. So we have to control the second balls and transitions and believe in our own quality when we attack them."

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St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari tells BBC Scotland: "We need to find a good balance to give us a chance, it's more about the personalities we have.

"It was an achievement for us to get to get the (Scottish Cup) semi-finals, over 100 teams started the competition and we made the final four.

"I was watching a little bit of Dundee Untied v Celtic earlier, it's not just us they (Celtic) can do that to, they can do it to other teams.

"We need points now, but nothing has changed. It has already been like this a long time. We haven't won enough, that's why we are where we are.

"Away matches have not been the best for us so it's a big challenge for us today. End of the season you start getting these niggles after a long season, so we have to be ready for the fight."

Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer tells BBC Scotland: "Yesterday Tawanda Maswanise got injured in training after blocking a shot with his ankle.

"Kofi Balmer is out with a hamstring injury and we only have one natural centre back but that's just the way it is.

"It's possible to change or adapt the formation during the game because we don't have so many centre backs. But hopefully we have stability, Johnny (Koutroumbis) did well against Hearts so I fully trust him.

"It's a big game for both sides, they need the three points, we also need the three points. We only have two home games so we want to win our home games and keep the points at Fir Park.

"No excuses, we have to fight. I expect them (St Johnstone) to play an attacking style, there are many offensive players in their starting XI."

Barry Ferguson has set his players the target of taking 15 points from their remaining five games and insists they are "not dead rubbers" despite "the hurt" of Celtic clinching the title.

"That's the challenge I've set them," Rangers' interim head coach tells BBC Scotland. "That's what happens when you are at a club like Rangers - you have to win every game.

"I am expecting them to put in a good performance against a team that deserve to be in the top six - they are a well-organised team with good players and a good manager.

"We know it is going to be tough, but we have set up to attack and to go for the three points."

Ferguson again insists he is not thinking about taking the job permanently but believes he is capable of doing it long term.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson is facing his first game without Toyosi Olusanya, the striker sold to Houston Dynamo.

"It is a fairtyale story for a super player - what a move for the boy - and it shows what St Mirren is all about; we give them opportunities," he tells BBC Scotland.

Despite the departure, Robinson suggests: "We've got real options to come on and win the game or shore it up, whatever we need."

Having secured a top-six place last time out, he adds: "We take the praise, but from the beginning of the week, we have solely been concentrating on winning this football match.

"You don't often get the chance to beat Rangers three times in a season and we want to do that."

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland: “We're thinking about just trying to make sure we deal with what's in front of us.

"So we're right in the middle of that, and we've got to make sure that if we can alleviate some sort of anxiety and pressure and worry for everybody,y just by winning the next game.

"If you win the next game, it's still the same pressure when we go to St Johnstone next week, but it becomes a wee bit more [full of] confidence, but everything seems a wee bit more certain with your own future.

"I think probably a couple of wins are going to be required in the last five games, and we feel today at home, against a team who are in a similar situation to ourselves, there is a lot on the game, we understand that.

"And as the weeks go on, there will be more on each game, but we've got a chance to deal with it today. I think we all feel as though there's a fight to be won."

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Ross County manager Don Cowie tells BBC Scotland: “We're going into a really important stage of the season, a vital five games.

"It's the first game of five very important games, so you want to get off to a good start.

"There's nothing defined after today's game because of how tight the league is, so we can't get caught up in it. It's about just making sure we give ourselves the best possible opportunity and the best possible performance to get those three points that we're looking for.

"We've had a challenging period results-wise. Results probably haven't reflected the performances, but what this group has done time and time again is they've responded on the back of a difficult period, and today's another opportunity to do that.

"It's up to me as the manager to bring a calmness. It's a game of football, it's something that they've done for their whole lives, their whole career.

"This is what you work hard for every single day."

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty tells BBC Scotland: "A few enforced changes - Adewumi hasn't made it, Jordan McGhee is the same and big Mo [Sylla] was struggling as well.

"I expect the games to be ultra competitive, every minute of it. That's the arena we're in. We need to win more duels, work harder in and out of possession.

"Games will evolve, every team will set up to be stiff and make sure they don't concede. But they'll open up over the 90 minutes.

"I've waxed lyrical about Lyall and how good a footballer he is. You see how influential he is. To have a player with that composure and quality back in your starting XI is great news."

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Hearts boss Neil Critchley tells BBC Scotland: "We have to draw a line under the game last week, that disappointment, and use that as our motivation to finish the season as strongly as possible.

"We've got to win games of football. We've not had that winning feeling for a few weeks and that's something we've spoken about.

"If we show the same level of performance [as last week], the same level of commitment, the same desire, and take a few more of our chances, we'll win games of football.

"We were hoping it was just cramp [for Lawrence Shankland], it's slightly more than that. It's not too serious. We hoped he'd be ready but he's not made it."

St Johnstone are five points adrift at the bottom and really need to start winning games.

However, Saints have won just one of their past 11 away league outings (D2 L8), a 1-0 victory at St Mirren in February.

St Johnstone have been victorious in their past two games with Motherwell, both in Perth, while no side has picked up fewer points in the Scottish Premiership in 2025 than the Steelmen (12, level with Dundee).

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Hearts fans will be feeling down in the dumps after blowing the chance to reach the top six and falling in the Scottish Cup semi-finals last weekend.

The Tynecastle side have not scored in their past three league matches but have hit 11 goals in their three most recent meetings with Dundee, while the visitors have managed just one league clean sheet on the road all season and shipped four to Hibs on the other side of Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago.

Dundee have occupied the relegation play-off spot for a while now and could profit from points being dropped at Rugby Park but have lost five of their past six league meetings with Hearts.

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These two are level on 35 points, with the same won nine, lost 16, drawn eight records.

Three of those Ross County victories have come against Kilmarnock. In their top-flight history, the men from Dingwall have never beaten a particular opponent four times within the same campaign.