Oh dear, Ethan Erhahon. Right in front of the referee, he catches Rory McKenzie in the face with his arm.

It's off the ball, as Kilmarnock were taking a throw in their own half. It's a moment of complete madness from the midfielder, whose been linked with a move away from St Mirren. He won't be playing next week, regardless.

Rangers manager Michael Beale tells Sky Sports: “The two goals for us [to lose] are poor goals to give away, cerinaly the one earlier on.

“We started well but we then conceded and took 10/15 minutes to find ourselves. We had two big chances with Alfredo and then Kent who hit the post.

“We needed to show more belief and second half we showed that. Got 2-1 up, were in control and they haven't got near Alan. And then maybe it should be 3-1 with the big chance for Malik.

“Their equaliser was poor from us, we sat deep and had 3 or 4 chances to clear it.

"I saw a lot of good things today, a lot of players who were committed to the cause.

“Second half we were excellent. I though that if we won it would have been fair, so yeah, we're a little bit disappointed.

“We’ve certainly got more players to come back and help the starting team, we’ll get fitter and stronger as we go.

“We’ve only been together a few weeks and now we’re at a level to compete with the team we need to compete with.

“We’d like to be two points closer but there are 18 games to go and we’ll just keep going."

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen, as you may imagine, have started with a fair degree of urgency as they go searching for their first points since November.

They have had the ball in the County box three times in the opening minutes, but a Luis Lopes header high over the bar is the best they can muster so far.

However, they are having joy down the right so far, with Bojan Miovski, Ross McCrorie and Matthew Kennedy all hitting the byline.

It's a bright start from Hibs at a hostile Tynecastle. Elie Youan looks menacing as he runs at the Hearts defence, skipping along the byline, but the Hearts defence clear up promptly.

Fingers crossed we're in for a New Year's belter in the Edinburgh Derby.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Tynecastle

There has been plenty of talk about Ryan Porteous' future since Hibs announced the defender would not sign a new deal at Easter Road, and there has been an update about his potential next move.

Serie A side Udinese are in talks with Hibs to sign the Scotland international, but the clubs are still some way apart regarding the money required to take Porteous to Italy in January.

It's non-stop action.

We're off and running in the 3pm games...

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson reckons any talk of Ethan Erhahon departing the Paisley club is "premature".

"At the moment he's the only transfer business and I would add that any talk of Ethan Erhahon leaving is premature," said Robinson.

"There is interest but I desperatly want him to stay. He is a huge park of my plans."

The manager has also handed his newest signing Richard Taylor a place on the bench today as they visit Rugby Park.

The manager added: "He has been training with us for month and looks comfortable as a left-sided defender."

Image source, SNS

Just the one change for Kilmarnock, as Blair Alston replaces Liam Donnelly in midfield with the Northern Irishman missing out completely.

As for St Mirren, they replace two. Mark O'Hara is suspended after his midweek red-card in the 1-1 draw with Livingston, with Jonah Ayunga also missing out after being replaced at half-time.

They're replaced by Greg Kiltie and Eamonn Brophy - making his first league start of the season.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "The performance against Kilmarnock was really disappointing. We were way off the mark and the players today have the opportunity to put things right.

"I've been in football long enough to know how things work. We're all big enough and strong enough to stand up and not feel sorry for ourselves."

Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has been talking to the BBC ahead of kick-off at Tynecastle:

"It's always the one we look forward to," he said. "It doesn't really matter about form, it's about turning up on the day and taking your game to the opposition.

"We felt bringing Michael [Smith] back in gives us solidity on the right-hand side, and Barrie [McKay] can bring that quality and spark that we need.

"In a derby you have to be aggressive and calm at the same time. Hopefully we can do that today.

"We've got a couple of [signings] lined up - we'll be doing some business in the next couple of weeks."

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has made four changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Hearts last time out.

Andy Considine, Adam Montgomery, Melker Hallberg and Ali Crawford miss out, replaced in the starting XI by Alex Mitchell, James Brown, Daniel Phillips and Jamie Murphy.

Several players have missed training in the build-up to this game - struck down by a virus - which may explain some of the absentees.

The visitors are without the in-form Steven Fletcher, who is ill and isn't in the matchday squad, and veteran defender Charlie Mulgrew only makes the bench.

Tony Watt will lead the line for Liam Fox's side.

Shamal George is back between the sticks for Livingston after a period out with a thigh injury. James Penrice is the only other change from the Lions 1-1 draw with St Mirren, Scott Pittman drops out after his red card appeal failed.

Kevin van Veen is back leading the line for Motherwell after making a cameo appearance at Ibrox last week. Sondre Solholm is the other switch from the defeat to Rangers, with Stephen O'Donnell dropping to the bench alongside Stuart McKinstry.

Image source, SNS

Hibs manager Lee Johnson tells BBC Sportsound: "I'm really excited about it. It's a big day for our fans and we want to make sure we put on a performance to get a result. The result is everything in a game like this. It's exactly why I came up to Scotland and I want to be a part of a massive result."

On Will Fish, who makes his first Hibs start in the derby, Johnson says: "He's been fantastic. He's been knocking on the door for far too long to keep ignoring him in terms of his performances, in training and any game that we have. He's a big lad and he's a threat from set plays. He felt like a natural replacement into the eleven.

Harry McKirdy also starts, with the Hibs manager saying: "He'll probably get sent off or score the winner."

Image source, SNS

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland

A sun kissed, but chilly, Granite City as Aberdeen prepare to welcome first footers Ross County to Pittodrie.

Image source, Tyrone Smith

After four consecutive defeats, Jim Goodwin makes plenty of Aberdeen.

Christian Ramirez, who scored 16 goals last season, has been largely left out in this campaign. However, the American starts for the first time since July alongside Luis Lopes and Bojan Miovski as Goodwin names three strikers for the clash with Ross County.

He is one of three changes from the 2-1 loss to Kilmarnock, with captain Anthony Stewart returning to the defence following suspension and Leighton Clarkson starting in midfield.

Jack Mackenzie, Connor Barron and Ryan Duncan drop out.

Ross County manager Malky MacKay makes two changes as he bids to get his side off the bottom of the Premiership.

Defender Callum Johnson and Belgian midfielder Kazeem Olaigbe come in, while there is no place in the squad for midweek starters Owura Edwards and Victor Loturi, with the former suspended after his sending off in the 3-0 defeat to Dundee United.

It's a first Hibs start for Manchester United loanee Will Fish, who must fill the boots of the suspended Ryan Porteous. Enigmatic striker Harry McKirdy is also in from the off for just the second time since heading to Leith, replacing Kyle Magennis.

Robbie Neilson also makes a pair of changes to his Hearts team that prevailed in Perth last time out, as Michael Smith and Barrie McKay come in for Jorge Grant and Alan Forrest.

Image source, SNS

St Johnstone: Matthews, Wright, McGowan, Gordon, Mitchell, Brown, Phillips, Carey, Murphy, Clark, May.

Substitutions: Parish, Booth, Kucheriavyi, O'Halloran, Wotherspoon, Bair, Crawford, McLennan, MacPherson.

Dundee United: Birighitti, Freeman, Smith, Edwards, McMann, Behich, Levitt, Sibbald, Harkes, Middleton, Watt.

Substitutions: Eriksson, Mulgrew, Graham, Niskanen, Djoum, Meekison, Anaku, Cudjoe, MacLeod.

Kilmarnock: Walker, Mayo, Taylor, Wright, Chrisene, Armstrong, Alston, Polworth, McKenzie, Robinson, Doidge.

Substitutes: Hemming, Stokes, Waters, McInroy, Lyons, Murray, Jones, Wales, Shaw.

St Mirren: Carson, Fraser, Gallagher, Dunne, Strain, Baccus, Kiltie, Erhahon, Tanser, Main, Brophy.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Shaughnessy, Gogic, R Taylor, Reid, Flynn, F Taylor, Olusanya, Greive.

Livingston: George, Devlin, Obileye, Boyes, Montano, Sean Kelly, Shinnie, Stephen Kelly, Bahamboula, Penrice, Anderson.

Substitutes: Konovalov, Hamilton, Longridge, Cancar, Fitzwater, Omeonga, Bradley, Goncalves.

Motherwell: Kelly, McGinn, Solholm, Lamie, Penney, Goss, Slattery, Spittal, Cornelius, Shields, Van Veen.

Substitutes: Oxborough, O'Donnell, Maguire, McKinstry, Blaney, Tierney, Speirs, Miller, Ross.