Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at McDiarmid Park

The pitch is showing the rigours of the winter months it has to be said, although people around here are saying it is playing well.

St Johnstone are fighting for their lives at the foot of the table and, after back-to-back defeats, really need to get back to winning ways.

A positive result would be a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s huge trip to play second bottom Dundee.

Ouch!published at 19:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February

19:56 GMT 26 February

Hearts 0-0 St Mirren

St Mirren started brightly, but in Hearts' first foray forward Zach Hemming has taken a sore one as Elton Kabangu collides with him at speed.

Thankfully for the visitors, he's back up and won't need to come off. A relief for Stephen Robinson.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

There's a healthy crowd for what is Michael Wimmer's first home match in charge of Motherwell. And he received a warm welcome when he walked out and took his place in the dugout.

Two home defeats on the bounce did for Philippe Clement but the big reason for the yawning gap at the top of the table has been Rangers' ropey away form.

From 13 games on the road in the Premiership, Rangers have won a mere five.

Not since February 2024 have they won three in a row away from Ibrox, which they can do with a positive result in Ayrshire this evening.

Kilmarnoch have won six of their past 10 home games against Rangers in the Premiership, with Marley Watkins grabbing a late goal to settle the last meeting in October.

Home form has been solid lately too, with five wins and a draw in their past seven at Rugby Park.

Image source, SNS

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

It's noisy and colourful at Tannadice. Green and white away to my left. Tangerine and black all around the rest of the stadium. Not too many empty seats at all.

This has the feel of a big game, and little wonder. Fourth v fifth with the winner, if there is one, going either third or fourth. There's a wee delay to kick-off, though, with referee David Dickinson having a quick chat with both managers. Under way now, however.

Interim head coach Barry Ferguson is "excited and proud to be in this position" as he prepares to lead Rangers for the first time against Kilmarnock.

"I just can't wait to get started," he told BBC Scotland.

"We had a good day yesterday, going through what I expect of them and the way we'll go about our business tonight.

"The response I got yesterday was the one I wanted, but the proof will be in the pudding.

"It's been a hectic few days, but I've enjoyed the challenge."

On naming an unchanged side here at Rugby Park, he added: "This is a place that has always caused us problems, so we need to make sure that's not the case tonight. Our performance needs to be full with hunger and desire.

"There's a few tweaks to it. I'm more than confident this side will deliver us the three points tonight.

"I'm under no illusions, I know what this club is all about - it's built on winning games and being consistent, and that's been the issue with this team."

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes tried to downplay the added attention Barry Ferguson's arrival has brought to this game.

"Any time Rangers come here it's a big occasion," he told BBC Scotland.

"There is always a lot of focus on the game, but I think the narrative has added to all of that, but this was always going to be a big game in the context of our season.

"There's an importance of picking up points before the split, we have a set target which we think should give us the chance for the top six. A win tonight would certainly help us take a big step before that.

"You can't achieve anything if you're not good at home, it's massive. We're going to need to do so much right for that [the run against Rangers] to continue.

On Danny Armstrong's return he added: "Danny was a big part of our win against Rangers last time."

We're away at Fir Park. The others won't be far behind.

Remember, Kilmarnock v Rangers is a 20:00 start.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

Hibs arrive in particularly fine fettle. Check these stats: in his first 14 league games this season, David Gray managed one victory. A win ratio of 7%, taking just nine of the available 42 points.

In the 13 Premiership matches since, he's led the side to eight victories, a win ratio of 62%, claiming 28 of the 39 points.

Football, eh? If Hibs maintain this momentum, they'll fancy their chances of finishing best of the rest, outside the big Glasgow two.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Scotland at Tynecastle

The pitch looks magnificent, as if it’s just been laid.

With games running out before the split and the battle for top six places in full flow, I fully expect this match to be end-to-end with goal chances aplenty.

With Hearts having Kabangu and Shankland, they should always have their eyes on the target, but Saints have Mandron, Ayunga and Olusanyo, so both defences will have to be on their toes.

Image source, SNS

Two teams in dire need of a lift...

After back-to-back draws against the Old Firm, Dundee have lost their past four league games and find themselves in the relegation play-off spot.

Motherwell's losing run stretches to five in the Premiership and they have just one win from nine games in 2025.

Dundee's 1-0 win in October was their first league success at Fir Park since April 2017.

Games are running out for St Johnstone to beat the drop.

The Perth side are unbeaten in their past five games against Ross County and scored three goals in both of this season's meetings.

However, County have hit a nice vein of form, their only Premiership defeats of 2025 coming against the Old Firm.

The men from Dingwall have won four of their past five away league games - which is as many as they did from their previous 41 matches!

Neil Critchley started life at Hearts with a 4-0 thumping of St Mirren on 19 October.

That was the Edinburgh club's first win of the season, lifting them off the bottom the table on goal difference.

Another win over the Buddies this evening would take Hearts into the top half of the table for the first time since the opening weekend.

St Mirren must be feeling good after their first victory at Ibrox since 1991, but will be aware that they slumped to four straight defeats after beating Rangers in Paisley on Boxing Day.

Their record at Tynecastle is not great, with just two wins from the past 20 top flight visits.

This is a biggie in the battle for European places.

United will overtake Aberdeen in third place if they avoid defeat.

Hibs will join United on 40 points if they can emerge victorious.

The visitors are unbeaten in 13 games across all competitions but have lost on their past three trips to Tannadice.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "Ross Docherty is going to be out for a few weeks, we don't have a timeframe on that one. We had a positive result against Motherwell so there's no need to change too much, but we need a better performance.

"It's got the making of a really good game. It's a massive game for both clubs, there's a real battle on for top six. The outcome we want is to win and open up a bigger gap between ourselves and Hibs. But if we can take a draw tonight and keep it to three points it wouldn't be a disaster."

Goodwin also says it's a huge boost to have Craig Sibbald back after his groin operation, saying the midfielder feels as good as he has done in years, having played in pain for a while.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "We believed we could beat them [Rangers], we beat them a few weeks before that. You have to put the same level of performance in and we did that.

"The league is so tight, if you don't turn up, you're not at your best, or decisions go against you, you can lose the game. It's vital we pick up as many points as we can.

"Usually you can set targets but it's very hard to predict this year. We're the team without any pressure on us. We can enjoy it, play our way, we've got an identity. We play a lot better football than people give us credit for."

Image source, SNS

Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "Keiron Bowie has not played a lot recently so we're managing his minutes. Myko [Kuharevich] came on and did well [against Celtic] so he gets his start tonight.

"Other than that the boys played really well at the weekend but the challenge is can you replicate that level of performance. Dundee United are a very good side, they're where they are in the league for a reason.

"There's an extra incentive because we're playing the team above us and if we win we go above them. That's the focus."