Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Dens Park

Anything is possible in football but not many would expect anything for Dundee tonight.

Celtic are creeeping back to a level of consistency and reaching the League Cup final will have been a sizeable shot in the arm given the scrutiny they’ve been under.

It’s another chance for Ryan Christie to show he has what it takes for the champions after his influential introduction against Hearts.

Dundee somehow need to carry threat and stay solid at the back. Those are both things they have struggled with.

Jim McIntyre will hope a full week of training, alongside a new assistant, will reap dividends. They will face a stiff test this evening.

Livingston boss Gary Holt has picked the same starting side for the seventh game in a row.

"Win, lose or draw, if you do your job for the team, you will stay in it," he tells BBC Scotland. "You can have a bad game, and they can't guarantee me they will play well, but as long as you are putting the effort in and carrying out the messages we have given them, they deserve the chance to stay in the team. It is up to the boys that aren't in the team to push their way in."

Midfielder Shaun Byrne plays his 100th game for the club tonight.

"He has phenomenal talent in his feet; he can go past anybody at walking pace, basically," Holt added."If he can add more goals to the game, the sky is the limit."

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One year in post, Steve Clarke can reflect on a job very well done. In 39 Premiership games, Clarke’s Killie have won 21, drawn 10 and lost eight.

That’s 73 points in 12 months. Champions Celtic have registered 78 over the same period.

So long as they match Celtic’s result at Dundee tonight, Killie will remain second in the division.

Clarke also boasts a formidable record against Rangers. In three visits to Ibrox last season, his side won one, drew one and lost the other and Kilmarnock also beat Rangers at Rugby Park in December.

However, this season’s first meeting of the two teams in the League Cup ended in a win for Rangers.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on BBC Radio Scotland: "Christie and Sinclair made a great impact in the semi-final, their confidence is high, just a case of keeping that continuity.

"Dedryck [Boyata] is a top-class defender, you see his calmness and control in the game, he doesn't look out of place in a world-class Belgium team and that shows the level he's gone to. We've got some very good young defenders but he gives us that experience as well. We're always better when he's playing.

"We're returning a lot closer to our level and I think the supporters can see that as well.

"I know Jim through preparing to play his Ross County team. They bring in an extra defender tonight so I wouldn't be surprised if they go with a back-five. We know it is always difficult when you go away from home but our aim is to get three points."

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Dundee manager Jim McIntyre on BBC Radio Scotland: "I certainly know a lot more about the players and their character having had a few more days to work with them.

"We're facing the sternest of tests tonight but it's up to us - we're at home, the pitch is magnificent, and we've got to show we're learning from the goals we've leaked in the last two games.

"We lost five goals from set-pieces. There's been work on that. The organisational side is fine, it's just men switching off and not doing their jobs. We can't continue to allow that to happen.

"There's got to be a belief you're going to score goals. We've only scored five this season - it's nowhere near enough. Hopefully we get that wee bit of luck and quality to stimulate the players. When it goes a long time without winning, confidence suffers, and it's important they keep believing."

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Hearts manager Craig Levein on BBC Radio Scotland: “We’ve got some problems. I’m happy that we’ve got the calibre of player to bring in but we’re a bit short in certain areas but we’ve cobbled something together.

"It’s a difficult place for anybody to come and win. We’ve got a fantastic home record. It should be a test for us tonight because their players have had a rest and they’ll be raring to go and they’re in good form as well. They’re always a dangerous side."

Hibernian manager Neil Lennon on BBC Radio Scotland: "You need to be big and strong here; it’s very difficult to play with two wingers when the pitch is so narrow. We’re expecting a battle, as it always is here. I want us to be competitive, I want us to come here and win, it’s a difficult venue. It’s a derby, form goes out of the window."

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard on RangersTV: "The players should feel blessed and lucky there's a game straight after [Sunday's League Cup semi-final defeat by Aberdeen]."

"If the players are feeling like I've felt since that final whistle and if the players are feeling like the fans have felt since that final whistle, it should be pretty easy to lift yourself.

"The players are lucky there's a game because they would have had to wait a full long wait for St Mirren [on Saturday].

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Livingston: Kelly, Gallagher, Halkett, Lithgow, Lamie, Lawless, Byrne, Pittman, Jacobs, Robinson, Menga.

Substitutes: Stewart, Kaja, Sibbald, Hamilton, Burns, Lawson, McMillan.

St Johnstone: Clark; Foster, Kerr, Shaughnessy, Tanser, Gordon, Craig, Davidson, Wotherspoon, Watt, Kennedy.

Substitutes: Hurst, Wright, Kane, Swanson, McMillan, Nydam, Callachan.

St Mirren are still without a win under new manager Oran Kearney, and he tinkers with his team to try and find a winning formula after defeat to St Johnstone at the weekend. Out go Jack Baird, Matty Willock and Danny Mullen. In their place are Anton Ferdinand, Ryan Edwards and fans-favourite Cammy Smith.

Stephen Robinson makes four changes to the side that lost to St Johnstone two weeks ago. Charles Dunne misses out through injury, while Allan Campbell, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and Andy Rose also drop out of the XI. In defence Carl McHugh returns, as do Richard Tait, Liam Grimshaw and Gael Bigirimana.

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Celtic are looking for a fourth straight league win and will be in good spirits after demolishing Hearts 3-0 with a strong second-half display in Sunday's League Cup semi-final.

Brendan Rodgers' side have scored 13 goals in their last three domestic games and appear to have their attacking mojo back after a shaky start to the season.

Tom Rogic has been particularly influential of late, with the languid Aussie back to his best after injury.

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It's just as well Hearts boss Craig Levein signed up almost two new teams' worth of players over the summer, since star men for the Jambos have been going down like flies of late.

First choice centre-backs Christophe Berra and John Souttar are long-term absentees, while top-scorer Steven Naismith requires knee surgery, joining Uche Ikpeazu and Jamie Brandon on the sidelines.

Peter Haring (hernia) and Clevid Dikamona (dead leg) play on this evening when they might have been res

Hibs also a few key players missing, with captain David Gray and fellow defender Paul Hanlon out, while Darren McGregor is just back and Jamie MacLaren has been dogged by fitness problems.

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Which Aberdeen will turn up tonight?

The team that hasn't scored more than once against anyone this season other than twice hitting four against hapless St Mirren?

Or the side that has won nine games in a row against Accies at Pittodrie, scoring 20 goals for the loss of one?

The Dons are on a high after Sunday's League Cup semi-final win over Rangers and have only lost one of their six home games this season - to Kilmarnock.

And, although Accies will have taken heart from their draw with Killie on Saturday, they have gone four games without a win - and four without a victory away from home.

Niall McGinn will possibly be a marked man considering the Northern Ireland forward has been directly involved in seven goals in his eight league starts for the Dons against Hamilton, scoring four times.

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Bottom-of-the-league Dundee haven't had much of a "bounce" since manager Jim McIntyre replaced Neil McCann, with heavy defeats to Livingston and Hearts.

Things don't get any easier this evening as the champions roll into Dens Park.

The Dark Blues have gone 29 games since last beating Celtic in May 2001, losing 23 of them.

There hasn't been much good news for Dundee this season but, despite losing nine of their 10 league outings, they are not yet cut adrift, with St Mirren and Motherwell also toiling. However, those two meet in Paisley this evening.

After inspiring Celtic's League Cup semi-final triumph from the bench, Ryan Christie starts in Brendan Rodgers' midfield tonight.

Craig Gordon returns in goal, Dedryck Boyata is back from a ban and Scott Sinclair - another impressive substitute at Murrayfield - also starts.

Out go Scott Bain, Kristoffer Ajer and the injured duo Eboue Kouassi and Olivier Ntcham.

Dundee have yet to score a goal under new boss Jim McIntyre, who makes two changes for the visit of the Scottish champions.

Defender Genseric Kusunga and winger Roarie Deacon replace Calvin Miller, who cannot play against his parent club, and Elton Ngwatala.

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The hosts make changes in attack, with Steven Naismith out with a knee injury and Steven MacLean suspended after his sneaky grab at Eboue Kouassi's private parts.

Sean Clare comes in for his first start, with Callumn Morrison back in after dropping to the bench for Sunday's League Cup semi-final loss, while Ben Garruccio takes over from Demi Mitchell at left-back. Peter Haring soldiers on in midfield despite a groin problem.

Hibs have had 11 days to think over their 4-2 loss at Celtic Park, where they could easily have been five or six behind in the first 30 minutes before making a better fist of things in the second half.

Manager Neil Lennon goes for an experienced line up, with Steven Whittaker and Marvin Bartley called up, while Emerson Hyndman and Daryl Horgan are demoted to the replacements.

• MacLean accepts ban for Kouassi grab

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Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham's inclusion is one of four changes to the Rangers team that lost to Aberdeen in Sunday's Scottish League Cup semi-final, with Allan McGregor dropping to the bench, along with Ryan Jack.

Scott Arfield and Andy Halliday come into the midfield while Alfredo Morelos returns from suspension up front. Ovie Ejaria and Umar Sadiq are not in the squad.

Four changes also for Kilmarnock. Kirk Broadfoot, Chris Burke, Gary Dicker and Jordan Jones come in, Rory McKenzie, Bright Enobakhare and Scott Boyd drop to the bench while Eamonn Brophy misses out.

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Max Lowe comes into Aberdeen's starting line-up in place of Andrew Considine at left-back.

The Englishman came on against Rangers when Considine was stretchered off in Sunday's League Cup win over Rangers and the Scot will sit out tonight as a precaution despite recovering quickly from his neck injury.

Rakish Bingham replaces James Keatings up front for Accies, with defender Scott McMann coming in for suspended midfielder Darian MacKinnon.

Keatings is on the bench, where forward Steven Boyd is missing because of his ban.

Boyd was sent off in Saturday's 1-1 draw away to Kilmarnock, while MacKinnon accepted a retrospective two-match ban after his yellow card for a heavy challenge on Alan Power was ungraded this afternoon to a red.

• MacKinnon accepts ban as Stewart appeals

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Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Devlin, McKenna, Lowe, Shinnie, Ferguson, McGinn, Mackay-Steven, Wright, Wilson.

Substitutes: Cerny, Gleeson, Cosgrove, May, Ball, Anderson, McLennan.

Hamilton Academical: Woods, McGowan, Kilgallon, Tshiembe, Gordon, McMann, Imrie, Martin, Brustad, Miller, Bingham.

Substitutes: Marsden, Want, Penny, Sowah, Kelly, L Smith, Keatings.

Rangers: Foderingham, Tavernier, Goldson, Worrall, Flanagan, Coulibaly, Arfield, Halliday, Candeias, Morelos, Kent.

Substitutes: McGregor, Katic, Jack, Rossiter, Grezda, Middleton, Lafferty

Kilmarnock: MacDonald, O'Donnell, Broadfoot, Findlay, Taylor, Burke, Dicker, Tshibola, Power, Jones, Stewart.

Substitutes: Bachmann, Byrne, McKenzie, K Boyd, Ndjoli, Enobakhare, S Boyd.