St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson tells BBC Scotland: "We've lost Cammy MacPherson and Murray Davidson, which isn't great news for us. We're a little bit stiff at the back, Aberdeen are playing good football - they're dangerous on the counter attack and that's something we have to be wary of.

"If you look at my team selection I've never been able to pick the same team twice. We've lost a lot of key positions. There's that, a little bit of consistency, and some refereeing decisions. I think it's amazing if you look back at the points dropped.

"We're hoping for clarity on the Covid rules. I can't afford to lose a whole bus of players."

Davidson confirmed he has signed 31-year-old midfielder Jacob Butterfield, but he is unable to play this afternoon.

He said: "I was hoping he would be available today but we have to wait for clearance from the Australian football association, but the deal is done."

Falkirk announced late last night that Martin Rennie would be their new head coach, with the Scot agreeing a deal until the end of the season.

Rennie grew up locally as a Falkirk fan but most of his coaching experience has been overseas in Canada, South Korea and the United States.

The Bairns, in fifth, are nine points behind leaders and today's opponents Cove Rangers but promotion via the play-offs is certainly within their gift.

After making three changes to the side that beat Hibernian on Wednesday, Livingston boss David Martindale tells BBC Sportsound he "needs to try freshen it up".

"I have a good squad and I'm trying to use everyone I can," Martindale adds. "It's my job to understand that before the game.

"It would be really pleasing if we could go and get back-to-back wins. But Dundee United enjoy playing at Tannadice, it's going to be a difficult one. The ball is going to be fast on the park so it should make for a decent game."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland

Five places may be separating them in the Premiership table, but this afternoon’s encounter at Tannadice looks set to be a much closer affair than Dundee United and Livingston's league positions might suggest.

Both teams go into this Tannadice clash on the back of similar recent runs of form.

Fourth-placed United have won just one of their past seven games, a statistic that can also be applied to Livi, who are ninth.

While Thomas Courts’ side are looking to avoid making it three defeats in a row, the visitors are heading to Tannadice in good spirits after a midweek win over Hibs, one which they will be determined to use as a real platform to build on.

While their recent results have not been what they would have wanted, United are still well within striking distance of third-placed Hearts, so all is not doom and gloom for the Tangerines as they aim to get back to winning ways themselves this afternoon.

Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass tells BBC Scotland: "We ended up putting an extra bus on because we heard that if one person tests positive then everyone has to self-isolate. It's something that we're hoping that there's some real clarification on soon because these boys are testing pretty regularly and it would be great to keep the games on, because otherwise I fear if that happens it's going to be difficult.

"It's important there's rules and regulations in place and no grey areas, and I think that's a pretty simple thing to do."

On the game with St Johnstone, he says: "Today feels like a summer's day compared to what we've been through recently.

"We're aiming to jump up the table. The one thing St Johnstone are is difficult to score against. They're on a poor run but you always know it's going to change at some point."

Ayr United and Hamilton Academical had to settle for a point apiece in last night's 1-1 draw in the Scottish Championship.

Click here to watch the whole match on BBC iPlayer

Image source, SNS

The last time Ross County met Dundee at Den's Park, it was a bit of doing for the Dark Blues.

Bottom side County won 5-0 but are five points below Dundee as things stand.

County are three off St Johnstone, who host Aberdeen today.

Check out Joseph Hungbo's free-kick from County's defeat of Dundee in October below.

It's a chance for Dundee United to put pressure on Hearts and Motherwell this afternoon.

United are five points off Hearts and level with Motherwell, with the latter two in action tomorrow.

Livingston beat Hibernian during the week and are now five points clear of bottom place.

Chris Iwelumo
Former Scotland striker on Sportsound

It's been quite a week of turmoil for Hibs. Defeat by Livingston on Wednesday prompted the Thursday sacking of head coach Jack Ross - a mere 10 days before their Scottish League Cup final meeting with Celtic.

The club's 2016 Scottish Cup-winning captain David Gray has taken interim charge for today's meeting with St Mirren in Paisley.

The Buddies are only two points behind seventh-placed Hibs in the table so can go above them with victory today.

Image source, SNS

Callum Davidson makes four changes to his St Johnstone side as he attempts to avoid going a fifth game in a row without a win.

Craig Bryson is available again after suspension and starts against his old club, while Glenn Middleton also returns from injury. Liam Craig and James Brown also come in to the side.

Cammy MacPherson and Murray Davidson both miss out, though, and the game comes too early for Stevie May. Michael O'Halloran and Eetu Vertainen both drop to the bench from the 1-0 defeat by Dundee.

Image source, SNS

No such changes for Aberdeen, as manager Stephen Glass names the same team for the third time in a row, and he will be hoping for the same result after back-to-back wins over Livingston and St Mirren.

One notable inclusion on the bench is left-back Jack MacKenzie, who has missed the past three games through injury.

Ross County captain Keith Watson makes his first start since September in the bottom-of-the-table battle.

The defender is joined in the starting line-up by full-back Harry Clarke, who returns from suspension, and winger Regan Charles-Cook.

Dropping out from County's last outing - a goalless draw with St Mirren 10 days ago - are the injured Alex Iacovitti plus Jake Vokins and Blair Spittal, with the latter two on the bench.

Dundee show just one change from their defeat at Ibrox, with midfielder Max Anderson replacing Christie Elliott, who is among the substitutes.

Image source, SNS

Ross County: Maynard-Brewer, Clarke, Baldwin, Watson, Randall, Cancola, Callachan, Charles-Cook, H Paton, Hungbo, D. Samuel

Substitutes: Laidlaw, Vokins, Spittal, Burroughs, Tillson, Donaldson, White.

Dundee: Legzdins, Kerr, Fontaine, Sweeney, Marshall, Anderson, Adam, McMullan, McGowan, McCowan, Mullen.

Substitutes: Lawlor, McGhee, Jakubiak, Elliott, Panter, Griffiths, Cummings.

Dundee United head coach Thomas Courts has made two changes to the side that suffered a convincing 3-0 defeat at home by Celtic last Sunday.

There's a switch at left-back, with Adrian Sporle coming out for Scott McMann. The other change is Louis Appere dropping to the bench for the returning Dylan Levitt, who features for the first time since late October.

Image source, SNS

As for Livingston, despite a fine performance in their 1-0 win over Hibernian on Wednesday, David Martindale makes three alterations.

Tom Parkes, Craig Sibbald and Andrew Shinnie all make way for Ayo Obileye, Cristian Montano and Bruce Anderson.

Dundee Utd: Siegrist, Freeman, Edwards, Mulgrew, McMann, Fuchs, Levitt, Harkes, Pawlett, Niskanen, Clark.

Substitutes: Carson, Sporle, Appere, Glass, Smith, Watson, Hoti.

Livingston: Stryjek, Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Penrice, Holt, Omeonga, McMillan, Forrest, Montaño & Anderson.

Substitutes: Maley, Kelly, Longridge, Sibbald, Pittman, Bailey, Shinnie.

Few would have anticipated St Johnstone being second bottom of the table at this stage, albeit with two games in hand.

Today they face an Aberdeen team they have already beaten this season.

After a shaky start to the campaign, the Dons are back in the top six but need points to consolidate that position.

Check out Marley Watkins' recent goal for Aberdeen against Hearts as part of our Christmas Crackers series below.

St Johnstone: Clark, Gordon, Brown, Rooney, Crawford, McCart, Booth, Craig, Bryson, Middleton, Kane.

Substitutes: Parish, Devine, Dendoncker, Moreland, O'Halloran, Solomon-Otbor, Vertainen.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Ojo, McCrorie, Bates, Hayes, Brown, Ferguson, Emmanuel-Thomas, Hedges, Watkins, Ramirez.

Substitutes: Woods, MacKenzie, Gallagher, McLennan, Jenks, Samuels, Campbell.

St Mirren are without injured striker Eamonn Brophy, so Curtis Main leads the line today.

Connor Ronan also drops out after last weekend's 4-1 loss at Aberdeen, with Greg Kiltie supporting Main.

Hibs interim boss David Gray is without suspended defenders Paul Hanlon and Paul McGinn, so he looks to veterans Darren McGregor and Lewis Stevenson, while Chris Cadden returns from a knock to slot in at right-back.

Alex Gogic is reinstated in midfield, having been out in the cold for most of the season.

Josh Doig drops to the bench, while there's no place for Jake Doyle-Hayes against his former team since he has picked up an injury.

Image source, SNS

St Mirren: Alnwick, Fraser, Shaughnessy, Dunne, Millar, Flynn, Power, McGrath, Tanser, Kiltie, Main.

Substitutes: Lyness, Tait, Erhahon, Ronan, McAllister, Dennis, Erwin.

Hibernian: Macey, Cadden, Porteous, McGregor, Stevenson, Newell, Gogic, Campbell, Boyle, Murphy, Nisbet.

Substitutes: Daborwski, Doig, Doidge, Allan, Gullan, Wright, Scott.