St Mirren will be hoping Sunday's looming Old Firm derby proves a distraction to a Celtic side five points clear at the top and seeking an 11th straight league victory.

The Buddies are winless in the sides' last 19 league meetings - drawing two and losing 17 - and have scored just three goals in those games while conceding 47.

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Celtic have kept a clean sheet in eight of their last 10 league trips to St Mirren, including the last three in a row. But they were held to a 0-0 draw in Paisley last season, with Olivier Ntcham's first-half red card proving costly for the visitors.

St Mirren, currently on a three-game unbeaten run, would gladly settle for another stalemate as they look to increase their four-point cushion over bottom club Hearts.

Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

Great play by Meshino who stands up a dangerous cross into the box... Bozanic can't force the ball home but the substitute is saved by an offside flag.

Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

Hearts substitute Euan Henderson is booked for an over zealous challenge on Melker Hallberg.

Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

Jake Mulraney earns a booking for clipping Hibs' goal hero Martin Boyle to bring a dangerous attack to a halt.

Ripples of applause from the Hearts supporters as their side attack with greater urgency early in the second half. You'd imagine head coach Daniel Stendel tossed a verbal grenade into the dressing room at the break.

Certainly, the hosts are playing with greater fire...

Hearts want a penalty as striker Uche IKpeazu takes a tumble under the close attention of Hibs defender Darren McGregor.

However, once again referee Don Robertson, with an almost operatic shake of the head, is having none of it.

Ikpeazu beats the Tynecastle turf in frustration.

We're back under way at Tynecastle.

Hearts head coach Daniel Stendel makes two changes ahead of the second half: Ollie Bozanic and Euan Henderson replace Aidy White and Loic Damour.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Pittodrie

The absence of Aberdeen’s suspended star striker Sam Cosgrove for this one poses a couple of interesting questions for both sides.

From a Dons perspective, the main one is who can fill the scoring boots of a man who has netted 20 goals already this season?

Derek McInnes recently called on the rest of his players to help ease the scoring burden on the Englishman, they will have to step up to the plate today if they are to emerge with the three points.

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The other question it poses, is undoubtedly how big a boost will Livingston get from the fact they will not have an in form Cosgrove to worry about?

Not that Livvy need a lift, they have travelled north with plenty of cause to feel confident, they’re on a 5 match unbeaten run, and have rattled in 10 goals in their last 3 games.

Neil McCann
Former Hearts & Rangers winger on BBC Sportsound

Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

If you get the right manager in charge the time it took to get him doesn't matter. But what had to be taken into account was that they were coming in to this period in December when there are so many games. It's so difficult to implement your ideas because there's not a lot of training time.

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Players, subconsciously, will start to question what's going on. And if they lose their first four games - and the fourth one being at home to Hibs - you better believe your bottom dollar that the confidence is shot but also that in the dressing room they're thinking "Are we going in the right direction?" because you don't see anything. For the first five minutes of the first game against St Johnstone there was a press. Now there is nothing.

Talk about contrasting emotions: the Hibs players head off the pitch and up the tunnel to a chorus of cheers from the jubilant away supporters.

In sharp and painful contrast, Hearts players, heads bowed, trudge off to a chorus of boos from disgruntled home supporters inside Tynecastle.

Hibs, two goals to the good courtesy of the predatory Martin Boyle, appear to be coasting to victory in the Edinburgh derby.

Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

Two minutes of added time at the end of a one-sided first half in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle.

John Hughes
Former Hibernian manager on Sportsound

Daniel Stendel doesn't have his troubles to seek as Hearts' head coach. The German has been patrolling his technical area like an angry bear awoken early from hibernation.

His side, save for one or two moments, have failed to lay a glove on their Edinburgh rivals.

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