Highlights on Sportscenepublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2020
Kick-off 19:30
Meantime, you can see the highlights of todays four Premiership games on Sportscene tonight.
Tune in to the BBC Scotland channel.
Hibs move into third with win at Motherwell
Accies win over Kilmarnock means St Mirren drop to bottom of the table
Sportscene highlights (19:30)
Clive Lindsay
Kick-off 19:30
Meantime, you can see the highlights of todays four Premiership games on Sportscene tonight.
Tune in to the BBC Scotland channel.
Talking of Celtic, we are back with live coverage tomorrow as the focus returns to the battle at the top of the Premiership between the reigning champions and leaders Rangers.
Steven Gerrard's high flyers visit a Ross County side on a high after knocking Celtic out of the League Cup, while troubled Celtic host an in-form St Johnstone.
Join us then for more top-flight coverage.
A photo has also emerged of a photocall similar to United's at Celtic.
The Scottish champions say: "The photo was taken and published weeks ago and undertaken within all established protocols
"We will happily discuss this with the Scottish government should they wish to do so."
Celtic point out that they have had no positive cases within their club and that the only players affected have been those while away with international squads.
FT: Livingston 2-0 Dundee United
More on Dundee United's Covid-19 outbreak and a photo that emerged of a team photocall just before positive tests at the club.
A Scottish government spokesman told BBC Scotland: "We would condemn any gathering that is in breach of the Covid-19 guidance agreed between the SPFL and the Scottish government.
"If the examples being highlighted today do prove to have happened, we would consider them deeply disappointing and irresponsible and would expect this to be taken extremely seriously by the football authorities."
FT: St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes praised the spirit of his side for managing to get a point at St Mirren despite playing with 10-men for 39 minutes.
"I think any time you go down to 10 men, particular away from home, and you feel a sense of injustice, there has to be a degree of spirit," he tells BBC Scotland. "You have to deal with it and the players dealt with it for the majority of it.
"We had to dig deep and it's a good point in the end."
Tommie Hoban was penalised for a handball that led to St Mirren's equaliser from the penalty spot, then Lewis Ferguson was sent off for two bookable offences.
"Referees are under pressure from the new hand ball rule, but distance is a factor and I don't know what Tommie Hoban is supposed to do," McInnes said. "It's hit him from half a yard, I think it's so harsh."
As for Ferguson's red card," he adds: It's deep in their half, Ferguson is blocked off, his mouth is burst. It's a coming together. I don't think it stops a real promising attack. It's two instances he's been called up on today and two yellow cards. it baffles me at times, it really does.
"We had our work cut out, but it was a far more spirited performance and that was shown by digging out the point."
FT: Livingston 2-0 Dundee United
Allan Preston
BBC Scotland summariser on Sportsound
Quote MessageYes, David Martindale has a past he's not proud of, which he's spoken about in the past, but he's been given a second chance here at Livingston and he's going to take it. He wants the job, so just give him it - he's been doing it anyway. We all know in the game, it's David's club - he runs the club
FT: Motherwell 0-3 Hibernian
Hibs head coach Jack Ross tells BBC Scotland: "The result itself, brilliant. It's not often that teams come here and win by that margin.
"So, for us, a really good afternoon. In the first half, we weren't as good as we could be, but we hung n there and it gave us the platform to be better in the second half and win the game.
"I was a bit angry at half time about some of the things we did, but the questions I posed at half time, the players answered brilliantly in the second."
FT: Livingston 2-0 Dundee United
Livingston caretaker head coach David Martindale: "First half was a wee bit nervy. I thought we got to grips with the game from around 25 minutes onwards and we started dominating our style of play in the game.
"In the Premiership, if you can get the first goal, games are a lot easier. It's nice and pleasing to score the first goal because it changes the dynamics of the game and it makes clean sheets that little bit easier because you've got something to hold on to.
"I'm on record saying I would like the job, but I want to do what's right for the club. If the club think I'm the right man to take the club forward, I'd love to do it."
"If the club want to keep my in my current role, as a support coach or an assistant manager, I'm more than happy to do it as well."
FT: St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen
St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin is left frustrated by his side's inability to pick up all three points against 10-man Aberdeen.
"In normal circumstances, you would be happy with a point against Aberdeen because in my opinion they are the third or fourth best team in the country," he tells BBC Scotland. "But, in the circumstances, the point feels like a defeat.
"I suppose you've got to credit Aberdeen for the way they dug in, but we had two or three really clear cut chances and we've got to be more clinical."
FT: Livingston 2-0 Dundee United
Allan Preston
BBC Scotland summariser on Sportsound
Quote MessageDundee United had the better of the first half, but it was a deserved win for Livingston. They could have gone bottom if they had lost, so it is a good day for caretaker David Martindale's chances of staying in the job when he speaks to himself
FT: Livingston 2-0 Dundee United
Academy coach Thomas Courts stepped into the United dugout today in manager Micky Mellon's absence because of Covid self-isolation but is playing down the impact of the virus.
"The way that they started the game, you can tell that they were together, there was a spirit there," he tells BBC Scotland. "Hopefully, the manager feels he's had good representation, service to the players.
"There were periods in the first half where we tried to establish a little bit of control. It was a really mature performance in the first 45.
"In the second half, you started to see the game slipping away from us. The second half was suiting Livingston far more than Dundee United. That's the frustration and disappointment."
Scottish League 2
Queen's Park continue their fine run at the top of the fourth tier with a comfortable win away to Cowdenbeath.
Elgin move into second, four points behind, after edging out Annan.
Edinburgh City are third after a Liam Henderson hat-trick helped them to a 5-2 win over Albion Rovers as both they and Elgin profit from Stranraer and Stirling Albion drawing.
Brechin remain bottom after their latest defeat, away to Stenhousemuir.
Scottish League 1
The pre-season favourites also extend their lead in League 1 as Falkirk go four points clear thanks to their own win over Peterhead and the end of Cove Rangers' long unbeaten home record.
Cove's defeat by Montrose was their first in 20 league games since being promoted from the Highland League.
Partick Thistle move into third, two points behind the Aberdeen side, despite being held to a draw at home by Dumbarton.
That's because Airdrieonians tasted defeat away to East Fife, who move off the bottom above Clyde and Forfar Athletic, whose game was postponed because of the Cumbernauld side's Covid outbreak.
Scottish Championship
Pre-season favourites Hearts take over at the top of the table by a point thanks to two Jamie Walker goals away to Morton.
Dunfermline at least rescued their unbeaten record this season, which stretches to 15 matches, after coming from 2-0 to draw with Raith Rovers in the Fife derby.
Defeats for Arbroath and Alloa leave those two at the bottom of the table.
Hibs move above Aberdeen to within a point of second-top Celtic, although the reigning champions have three games in hand.
The big movers at the bottom are Hamilton, who move above Ross County and St Mirren, who find themselves a point adrift at the bottom despite their draw with Aberdeen.
Aberdeen survive that late scare and the loss of Lewis Ferguson to a red card to take a point in Paisley.
However, they slip to fourth behind Hibs after the Edinburgh side's win in Motherwell.
Jonny Hayes' first-half header was one of the visitors' few chances and St Mirren deservedly equalised through Jamie McGrath's penalty.
Harsly, despite all their efforts, the Buddies end the day bottom of the table.
St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen
Andrew Considine clears off the line after another howler from Joe Lewis.
The Aberdeen goalkeeper is left scrambling after failing to hold a loose ball and Lee Erwin shoots towards goal with almost the last kick of the ball, but Considine is able to clear.
Hibs go third in the Premiership after second-half goals from Martin Boyle, Christian Doidge and Stephen McGinn.
That extends their unbeaten run to five games, while Motherwell are now four matches without victory
It's a deserved win for Livingston given their second-half performance.
Scott Pittman and Marvin Bartley got the goals as United sorely missed top scorer Nicky Clark to end a troubled week on a sour note after the visitors' Covid outbreak.
What a win for Brian Rice's side!
For large spells it didn't look like they would make the most of their man advantage until Brandon Haunstrup was judged to have handled in the area, and Ross Callachan coolly converted to secure Accies' first home league win of the season and lift them two places to 10th.