Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell tells Sportsound: "It's two teams who have started the season well. We played each other in the cup a few weeks ago and it went down to the last few minutes.

"We're now away from home and it becomes a slightly bigger task because United have been good at home this season. "We're just trying to keep the team as fresh as possible with three big games this week.

"Sunday will take care of itself but if we get a good result tonight becomes easier for us going into that game (League Cup semi-final against Rangers)."

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "There are some enforced changes within the squad, we're looking to get Cameron Carter-Vickers some game time otherwise he's not going to get back to his fitness levels.

"I trust the squad, there's players that aren't really getting any sort of game time but they all have a great value. For some games you just can't make wholesale changes.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the team play, we've made six changes but it's still a very strong team.

"This is a game of mentality. Players are in fantastic form, have shown great qualities, we're scoring goals so I'm just looking forward to seeing us play and showing that hunger."

On the absentees tonight, Rodgers added: "Adam Idah, Nicolas Kuhn and Callum McGregor will all be fine for the weekend (League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen).

"Callum could've been involved tonight but there was no need to risk it. Kuhn had a bit of an issue with his hip after the weekend, again no need to risk it. Good news on Adam with the scan, he got away with it after the challenge and hopefully he'll be ready for Saturday."

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St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari tells Sportsound: "We have a good team but we know the challenge ahead of us. These are the places we want to come and test ourselves.

"Before I came here, what I saw from video is that our players are good footballers. But it is still early days, we are still fragile.

"As a manager, my job is to let them play to their strengths and enjoy the football. But, of course, there is always an opponent who dictates the spaces and how we want to play.

"We are trying to build a culture with our values. We want to make it look like us. I want to find an identity, whatever it is. It is an ongoing journey and it never stops."

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St Mirren could really do with a win after falling to four successive defeats.

The Buddies are unbeaten in nine home league games against St Johnstone (W5 D4) and enjoyed 2-0 and 4-0 victories in Paisley last season.

The visiting Saints are looking for a third win on the spin after beating Ross County and Dundee.

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley tells Sportsound: "There's certain things you can guarantee from Kilmarnock. We know we're in for a tough game. We're on a decent run ourselves, and the weekend was an important point for us psychologically.

"I'm learning a lot on the job at the moment, but there's no better place to learn about the players than the heat of battle.

"I knew what the schedule was. Time between games would be helpful to instil our principles, but it is what it is. We've been simple with our messages and now it's over to the players."

Kilmarnock have only lost one of their last nine Premiership visits to Tynecastle (W5 D3), although they are winless in their last three (D2 L1).

During the gloomy run of eight successive defeats that cost Steven Naismith his job as Hearts head coach, only one of those came at home in the league and that 1-0 reverse to Dundee United in September is the only top flight loss in 15 on their own patch (W8 D6).

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Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has never lost to Dundee, winning 12 of the 13 meetings in all competitions, while there was a 0-0 draw in Glasgow back in April 2018 during his first spell in charge.

Former Aberdeen and Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack will know what kind of reception Connor Barron is in for. He was talking to BBC Radio Scotland this morning and here's a wee taste of what he had to say.

"It's been tough for Rangers so far. It seems to be a struggle to get over the line in most domestic matches.

"This is a chance to kick start the season; a big away performance, get a result, get the fans behind them and start closing that gap.

"For me, if Aberdeen win then it really will ask questions of Rangers and a lot of negativity will come off the back of that."

Connor Barron makes his first appearance at Pittodrie since leaving in the summer to join Rangers.

The 22-year-old midfielder is sure to get a LOT of attention from the home fans.

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Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin makes just one change as captain Graeme Shinnie replaces Ante Palaversa in midfield.

Striker Kevin Nisbet is still absent after missing Saturday's win over Dundee United.

Meanwhile, Rangers switch five as Philippe Clement is boosted by the returns of John Souttar and Tom Lawrence, but Vaclav Cerny is nowhere to be seen.

Ross McCausland, Cyriel Dessers and captain James Tavernier are also restored to the XI, while Jefte, Robin Propper, Hamza Igamane and Mohamed Diomande drop to the bench.

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Dundee United name the same XI which came close to getting a point at Pittodrie. Jim Goodwin's squad is a tad stretched with Craig Sibbald, Ross Graham, Ross Docherty, and Louis Moult all still missing.

Motherwell make three changes after the loss to Celtic. Liam Gordon is suspended while Davor Zdravkovski and Andy Halliday drop to the bench.

In come Dan Casey, Steve Seddon, and Tawanda Maswanhise.

Stephen Robinson opts to go unchanged following St Mirren's narrow defeat to Rangers on Sunday.

Following Saturday's win at Dundee, Simo Valakari makes just one change to his St Johnstone starting XI.

On-loan defender Kyle Cameron comes back into the line-up after missing out at the weekend through injury.

Nicky Clark, who grabbed the last-minute winner at Dens Park, skippers the side after being appointed captain over Cameron by new boss Valakari.

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Don Cowie makes one change from the side that started their 2-1 win over Killie.

Elijah Campbell returns from suspension and is in for Josh Reid, who drops to the bench.

For Hibs, head coach David Gray makes two alterations for the side that lined up for Sunday's Edinburgh derby.

Joe Newell, also returning from a ban, and Mykola Kuharevich are in, taking over from Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Dwight Gayle, with the latter missing from the squad.

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New Hearts boss Neil Critchley has rotated his right-backs since taking over and Adam Forrester replaces Daniel Oyegoke from the side that started Sunday's derby draw.

Alan Forrest also comes in after an impressive substitute cameo. Yan Dhanda drops to the bench.

Kilmarnock are without the suspended Liam Donnelly while Derek McInnes confirmed Stuart Findlay will be missing with injury so Joe Wright is back.

In midfield, McInnes is able to call upon young star David Watson who makes his first start since the 3-2 win over Dundee a few weeks ago.

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Brendan Rodgers has rung the changes once again, making six alterations to the Celtic side that started the 3-0 victory over Motherwell.

Alistair Johnston, Liam Scales, Alex Valle, Reo Hatate, James Forrest and Daizen Maeda all drop to the bench. Callum McGregor is missing again.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is back in the starting line-up after making his return off the bench at the weekend, Greg Taylor is also back in at left-back while Anthony Ralston replaces Johnston on the right.

Arne Engels, Hyun-Jun Yang, and Luis Palma are also in from the start.

Worth noting that it's a first league start of the season for Palma, Yang and Ralston.

Tony Docherty makes three changes from the 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone. Trevor Carson is replaced by Jon McCracken between the sticks due to a knock. Josh Mulligan and Antonio Portales are in for Curtis Main and Billy Koumetio.

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Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin, Rubezic, Molloy, MacKenzie, Heltne Nilsen, Shinnie, Keskinen, McGrath, Duk, Sokler.

Substitutes: Doohan, Clarkson, McGarry, Besuijen, Palaversa, Morris, Milne, MacDonald, Ambrose.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Kasanwirjo, Barron, Raskin, Lawrence, McCausland, Bajrami, Dessers.

Substitutes: Kelly, Propper, Diomande, Dowell, Sterling, Jefte, Igamane, Hagi, Lovelace.

Dundee United: Walton, Adegboyega, Gallagher, Holt, Stephenson, Babunski, Sevelj, Trapanovski, Middleton, Dalby.

Substitutes: Richards, Strain, Odada, Fotheringham, Van der Sande, Thomson, Constable, Stirton, Meshack.

Motherwell: Oxborough, Kaleta, O'Donnell, Casey, Seddon, Sparrow, Miller, Maswanhise, Wilson, Stamatelopoulos.

Substitutes: Hegyi, Zdravkovski, Robinson, Halliday, Blaney, Koutroumbis, Ebiye, Gillies, Tavares.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

It's fourth v fifth here but what price both keep their top six spots come the Premiership split? That will be the ambition for each side and even at this early stage of the season, taking points from a direct rival for a top half finish could be critical to those hopes.

United might also want to take advantage of the fact that this game isn't the most important one this week for Motherwell who, even subconsciously, may have one eye on Sunday's League Cup semi-final with Rangers.

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St Mirren: Balcombe, Dunne, Gogic, Fraser, Tanser, O'Hara, Phillips, Bwomono, Kiltie, Olusanya, Scott.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Penman, Taylor, Boyd-Munce, Smyth, Mooney, McMenamin, Ayunga, Mandron.

St Johnstone: Sinclair, Sanders, Neilson, Cameron, Smith, Sprangler, Holt, Wright, Clark, Kimpioka, Sidibeh.

Substitutes: Rae, Carey, Essel, Kucheriavyi, McPake, Kirk, Douglas, Keltjens, Franczak.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Leak, Lopata, Wright, Brown, Randall, Denholm, Campbell, Chilvers, White, Hale.

Substitutes: Hamilton, Allardice, Loturi, Grieves, Nisbet, Efete, Samuel, Brophy, Reid.

Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Newell, Triantis, Boyle, Youan, Hoilett, Kuharevich.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Iredale, McKirdy, Kwon, N. Cadden, Campbell, Bushiri, Molotnikov.