And away we go.

Plenty of backing for Celtic at McDiarmid Park, with the away fans taking over three of the four stands.

Not long until kick-off now as the rain tumbles down in Glasgow and Perth...

The Old Firm are set for a gruelling slog, with nine league, cup and European games each between now and the end of February.

You can read more about those hectic schedules here.

For some reason, St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright is not talking to us before the game. I'm not sure what we've done this time.

However, he did have a good chinwag with our chief sports writer Tom English this week and you can read that piece here.

"We used to get some results against them," he said about this evening's task. "A couple of draws at Celtic Park, a win here, a win there in 2015, but we haven't got anything for a while now. They're all about pressure, pressure, pressure, then they force mistakes and it's 7-0. They're intense."

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St Johnstone have not managed a goal in their past eight meetings with Celtic.

On the opening day of the Premiership season, the champions opened with a 7-0 rout of the Saints in Glasgow.

However, tonight's hosts have been on a decent run of late, losing just once in eight outings, while they are unbeaten in their last five at home.

Speaking to BBC Sportsound, Celtic manager Neil Lennon has dismissed rumours linking Olivier Ntcham with a move to West Ham United, while he says he's not aware of any interest in Craig Gordon. He's also expecting a real test tonight.

"We’re here to win the game and keep the momentum going – we’ve had a good start to the second half of the season," he says. "We’ve got a really strong team out with some players in great form.

"It’s going to be a tough game, St Johnstone are no mugs, Tommy’s an astute manager and we’re going to have to be at our best."

Lennon also gave his thoughts on Celtic's current system of three-at-the-back.

"We like the formation, it gives us strength, a strong midfield and good height in the team. We can keep possession, be patient on the ball at times but also be dynamic going forward. It’s a formation that’s worked for us this season."

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Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell takes heart from a good showing in Glasgow before another stern test in the city.

Yesterday, he said: "We looked a real threat on the counter-attack at Celtic. We don't want to be glorious losers, we don't want credit from losing games but we felt the players acted out the message so well on Saturday. We genuinely acquitted ourselves really well.

"We've been looking for a template for going to these difficult grounds and collectively standing up to the mark. We're certainly not going to Ibrox to make up the numbers."

Assistant manager Gary McAllister was on media duties for Rangers yesterday and the message was a Dad's Army "don't panic" after that surprise loss on Sunday.

"We've been on a good run," said the former Scotland captain. "I don't think anybody saw it coming. We knew it wasn't good enough and we have to take the criticism that comes.

"Having worked with the majority of these guys for a while, I know the types of men in the dressing room. I think we will see a reaction.

"In moments like this we still have to trust what we have been doing. We can't just think because we have one bad result it's a big change.

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

Craig Gordon is once again providing goalkeeping back-up for Celtic this evening but will the experienced Scotland international be moving on this week?

The 37-year-old is out of contract in the summer and Hearts would like him back.

"There's nothing in that at the minute," Celtic boss Neil Lennon tells BBC Sportsound, quickly defusing that line of questioning.

Ross County lost 3-0 at Celtic Park and have gone six games without a win in all competitions but they did pose a threat on the counter-attack on Saturday, wasting three really good chances in the first half. If one of those had gone in, it might have been a different story.

The Dingwall side have never beaten Rangers in 10 attempts and have lost the last four meetings.

Tonight, they make just one change, with Billy Mckay taking over the lone striker role from Lee Erwin.

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"I could pick eight players that I didn't recognise - who were passengers," said Rangers manager Steven Gerrard after the 2-1 defeat to bottoms side Hearts.

However, with captain James Tavernier and midfielder Ryan Jack out due to injuries, there is no real room for sweeping changes.

Jon Flanagan has dropped out to allow Matt Polster to move in at right-back, in midfield Scott Arfield fills in for Jack and up front Sheyi Ojo steps in for Joe Aribo.

Another notable addition to today's squad is the inclusion of Alfredo Morelos. The striker is back from a three-match ban but has been struggling with a calf injury.

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It's been a tough week for Tommy Wright. He's vented his frustrations over a lack of activity in the transfer market, denied a divide between himself and the board and lost winger Matty Kennedy to Aberdeen earlier than expected.

But yesterday he signed up defender Jamie McCart from Inverness Caley Thistle, bringing him to McDiarmid Park six months sooner than initially planned. The 22-year-old is on the bench tonight.

Wright went with a back three in Saturday's 2-1 win over Kilmarnock and does the same tonight, but has made three changes to his starting XI.

Forwards Stevie May and Chris Kane drop to the bench, with Michael O'Halloran and Callum Hendry coming in. Wallace Duffy starts at right wing-back in place of the injured Drey Wright.

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Odsonne Edouard came off the bench to score twice on Saturday, having been a fitness doubt with a minor foot problem. The striker returns to lead the line tonight alongside Leigh Griffiths, the man he replaced in that 3-0 win against Ross County.

Greg Taylor is also given a rare league start, while new signing Patryk Klimala is on the bench once again and could make his Scottish Premiership debut. Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston drop to the bench, as does Moritz Bauer, with Kris Ajer back from injury.

Ryan Christie is back from suspension to take a seat on the bench.

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St Johnstone: Clark, Kerr, Gordon, Booth, Duffy, Tanser, Holt, McCann, Wotherspoon, O'Halloran, Hendry.

Substitutes: Parish, McCart, Swanson, Craig, Kane, May, Northcott

Celtic: Forster, Simunovic, Jullien, Ajer, Forrest, Brown, Ntcham, McGregor, Taylor, Griffiths, Edouard.

Substitutes: Gordon, Bauer, Hayes, Rogic, Christie, Johnston, Klimala

Rangers: McGregor, Polster, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, Davis, Arfield, Kamara, Kent, Ojo, Defoe.

Substitutes: Foderingham, Edmundson, Aribo, Patterson, Jones, Barker, Morelos.

Ross County: Baxter, Kelly, Donaldson, Watson, Fraser, Vigurs, Mullin, Spittal, Tillson, Cowie. McKay.

Substitutes: Laidlaw, Fonatine, Draper, Erwin, Spence, Foster, Shaw.

Those results over the weekend leave Celtic with a five-point lead, although Rangers have a game in hand.

The Glasgow giants have each lost just twice in the league all season.

"Celtic were waiting for us to blink," said Rangers boss Steven Gerrard at Tynecastle on Sunday. "Today we’ve blinked. Big time.

“And I’m not sure there will be too many blinks from now to the end.

“So we need to try to avoid that level of performance from now until the end of the season."

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There's no let up in the Scottish Premiership title race, with the games coming thick and fast after a winter break.

There was a three-point swing in Celtic's favour over the weekend, with the champions seeing off Ross County and Rangers slipping to defeat at Hearts.

This evening, Ross County are at Ibrox and Celtic are up in Perth taking on St Johnstone.

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