Eight Scottish Premiership teams play first post-split games - radio & text (2024)

St Johnstone should be level. Emiliano Marcondes loses the ball in midfield and it comes straight to Adama Sidibeh one-on-one, but David Marshall produces a huge save.

Hibs go straight up the pitch, Myziane Maolida and Marcondes exchange passes on the edge of the box and Maolida's rising shot hits the bar from close range. Maybe Dimitar Mitov got a touch on that?

They're not down and out, yet. In fact, bottom side Livingston are in front and it's a disaster for Ross County's Ryan Leak.

Stephen Kelly's long ball should be dealt with by defender Leak but his tame header back to goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw is short and Bruce Anderson lobs the goalkeeper.

Mikey Devlin is up for a corner and flashes a header wide.

The captain is still waiting for his first Livingston goal.

The first chance at Pittodrie falls to the visitors.

Stephen O'Donnell lashes a low shot in towards the near post, but Aberdeen keeper Kelle Ross is well positioned to block the ball with his leg.

A beauty!

That's an incredible strike from Emi Marcondes. Thirty yards out, from a central position, he bends it high into the top corner from a free-kick. You'll struggle to see many better than that this weekend.

Kilmarnock defender Stuart Findlay heads over after rising highest to meet a promising Matty Kennedy cross at the back post.

Motherwell have made a very lively start, very much on the front foot.

They have had loads of possession and are playing some really nice stuff.

And away we go.

Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven tells Sportsound why he has changed Duk for Junior Hoilettt.

"It's just to freshen it up a bit," he said.

"Duk ran his heart out last week but Junior gave us good quality off the bench with the two assists and a bit more composure in the final third.

"The players have set the standard now. Since I came in as interim they've been great. We need to continue that form.

"I've said to them that work rate is standard. But you're good players. Get on the ball and express yourselves and play with a smile.

"At times we've been tense this year and forgot to play with the ball."

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell on BBC Sportsound: "We now have a target to be best of the rest (in the bottom six). As difficult as it's going to be we need have to go and see if we can achieve it.

"We had a really good last five games last season sitting on the same points so we want to replicate that.

"As soon as you feel comfortable in this league it comes back to bite you. So we don't have that mentality. We have a vision to finish as high as we can with as many points as we can."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland: "It was the change of shape last time at St Johnstone. Robbie Deas was unfortunate to miss out in that game because we needed an extra midfielder. In this instance, we have gone with the shape we feel gives us the best chance to beat Hearts.

"I've changed winning teams before this season. There's not been many changes but sometimes you just need to tweak it here and there. Hopefully the tweaks work for us today.

"Our performances against Hearts have been decent this season, home and away. We have to be decent to give ourselves a chance. It's fine margins when we play each other."

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith tells BBC Scotland: "There's not an exciting feel towards the game because no matter what the result is, nothing is going to change for both teams in the table. It's more the excitement for what we can achieve if today gets us our ultimate goal for the season in third and group stage football.

"It's more that, rather than a big game with a lot of tension, because I don't think it is. For us, we know it's going to be a tough game - Kilmarnock's home record is very good - but we've done well down here in games where we have produced good results. We go in with a lot of confidence.

"Looking back now, it was maybe the wrong decision that (Alex Cochrane) did not play last week. He's been really consistent for us and brings a lot to the team. He was unfortunate and disappointed, but he comes back in because we trust him and he is a big player for us."

St Johnstone manager Craig Levein tells BBC Scotland: "Hibs are a good side, particularly in the front area of the field, so we'll need to be really good if we want to get anything.

"The pressure has been on for a while and we've handled it reasonably well. There's been one or two games I've been disappointed afterwards, but generally performances have been good.

"We've got a few that are touch-and-go. I hoped Tony Gallacher would make it but he has a problem with his calf. We're getting players back from injury which will help in the remaining matches."

Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery tells BBC Sportsound: "There's pressure on every manager and I'm no different to anybody else. I'm as disappointed as anyone to miss out on the top six, especially in the fashion we did.

"Some performances throughout the season have not been good enough but I don't think many teams in the world can say every performance is brilliant.

"Results need to improve. We've had too many draws from winning positions and dropped 12 points from winning positions. If we had a couple more better results, we'd be in the top six."

Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Sportsound: "We need to win today, we need to win. The passion's there, the emotion's there.

"The off-field distractions had a massive impact on the on-field performance. We tried everything we could the last 18 months to bring investment in outwith and the club needs it. Most clubs are looking for it in some way, shape or form.

"We had that in the pipeline. People were willing to come in and invest in the football club and buy shares. Unfortunately, shareholders were all at loggerheads. They wanted the money buying them out as opposed to the money going into the club and it's had a huge effect.

"We'll be okay next year. Turnover-wise Livingston is maybe a top League 1 club, bottom Championship club. There's going to be huge cuts."

Neither side can afford to be distracted by thoughts of summer sun loungers as they still have work to do.

Both are on the fringes of the basem*nt battle - eighth placed 'Well are two points above the Dons, who are fivepoints off the relegation play off spot.

A win today would ease any lingeringconcerns about getting sucked into a fight at the foot of the table.

Why did the Aberdeen board agree to Jimmy Thelin arriving in the summer?

Surely a manager wants to be part of the club as soon as he can. Put your reputation on the line.

St Johnstone are just one point ahead of Ross County in the dreaded play-off place and have gone seven home games without a victory.

However, they are chasing a third successive win over Hibs, who arewinless in seven away league games.

Having missed out on the top six, visiting manager Nick Montgomery is under pressure after the club pledged to undertake "a full review of the football structure" at Easter Road.

A run of just three wins in the last 16 Premiership matches makes miserable reading for Montgomery. Will a decent finish in the lower half be enough?

Aberdeen fans will still be coming to terms with a penalty shoot-out loss to Celtic in last Saturday's epic Scottish Cup semi-final.

The Dons have lost just one of their five league games since Peter Leven returned to role of caretaker manager, but there have only been four home wins to celebrate in the league all season.

They have beaten Motherwell twice at Fir Park already this term, last finding three wins against the Steelmen in 2016-17.

Motherwell have taken 11 points from their last six outings, with the only defeat in that run coming at home to Aberdeen.

Hearts boss Steven Naismith has challenged his players to reach 70 points for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

They sit on 62 right now, with 15 to play for.

A win today would secure third spot for the Edinburgh side and match their best points total in the top flight since 2016.

Unbeaten in four games, Kilmarnock are 11 points behind the visitors and seeking to win three consecutive Premiership matches for the first time since October 2020.