Чемпионат Шотландии

SATURDAY 21 AUGUST

Hamilton v Hearts

Hamilton got off to the worst possible start with a 4-0 thumping at Aberdeen. Billy Reid won't panic and his team in general do well against Hearts. He will be hoping that he can get his home form off and running. Now with a very experienced team, he will be looking to the likes of Jack Ross and Simon Mensing to step into the missing captain Alex Neil's boots and drive the side to victory.

Hearts did OK in spells on Saturday against St Johnstone and looked more of a threat when Kevin Kyle and Stephen Elliot came off the bench.

Prediction: 1-1

St Johnstone v Aberdeen

Saints had a tough opener and won a hard-earned point against Hearts. They have a real freshness, which Derek McInnes has brought to the club with his new signings. You wait for your striker to score his first competitive goal - Sam Parkin is off and running and looks a real handful. They may be without three defenders from the last weekend. Dave MacKay lasted 54 minutes after taking an injection to play, Danny Grainger collided with the post and may still not play and Steven Anderson's red card means he's suspended.

Aberdeen could not have got off to a better start and Paul Hartley's spectacular hat-trick of penalties is the first in Scotland since Dougie McGuire did the same for Albion Rovers in 1996. Mark McGhee brought in a few players in the summer and the new squad will be on such a high. Can they maintain their place at the top of the league? I think they are in for a tougher afternoon on Saturday at McDiarmid Park.

Prediction: 1-1

SUNDAY 22 AUGUST

Hibernian v Rangers

Hibernian got all three points away at Fir Park last Sunday with a fine 3-2 victory. John Hughes keeps saying he has goals from all over the park and this was proved correct with three different goalscorers and from three different areas - a defender, midfielder and striker. He will be hoping many more can pitch in against last year's champions. Hibernian have had more games than any other team during pre-season, with three competitive matches, so are almost up to full speed.

Rangers have happy memories from their last visit to Easter Road when they clinched the title. James Beattie will have a week's training under his belt to try to get an understanding with what could be his striking partner Kenny Miller, who already must be up for the most bizarre goal of the season award. The ball was smashed off the back of his head last Saturday but all good strikers don't care how they go in.

This should be a cracker and I expect goals.

Prediction: 2-2

Celtic v St Mirren

Neil Lennon got his SPL season off and running with a good result away to Inverness in last Saturday's early kick-off. Paddy McCourt's fine individual goal may ease the pain of Celtic losing Aiden McGeady if he can produce more of that brilliance. Celtic have reinvested some of the McGeady money this week with a few more signings and will want to show the home support they are up for the fight to try to wrestle the title away from Rangers. Although they had a midweek European fixture against Utrecht, they have a 25-28 man squad from which Neil can freshen the team.

St Mirren almost got the dream opening day result after a Sean Lynch 25-yarder looked like bagging the three points only for them to lose a late equaliser to Dundee United. Danny Lennon will take great heart from that performance but this is a really tough fixture for them. They have to keep it tight early on and not concede in the opening 20 minutes to try to silence the crowd, but that is easier said than done. I have been on the end of some heavy defeats at Parkhead after going one goal down early.

A tough afternoon for St Mirren.

Prediction: 3-0

Dundee United v Inverness CT

There is more to come from Peter Houston's team. They are a big, physical side and kept going last Saturday until the very end and managed to get a point. The good thing about United is they have a very settled side and normally you can name 9 or 10 of their starting 11. Sunday's game may depend on how much the fixture against AEK Athens takes out of them and the United fans can play their part to turn it into a "Beautiful Sunday".

Inverness Caley Thistle did well in the first half against Celtic but, as Terry Butcher said, never really turned up in the second. He will be hoping his team can play for the full 90 minutes and, if there is a tiredness in the United legs after their European exertions, then Caley have to play at a high tempo and do things quickly - free-kicks, throw-ins. Richie Foran may be back and his ability in the air could be a real asset.

Prediction: 1-1

Kilmarnock v Motherwell

Mixu Paatelainen's team did well for long periods of the game at Ibrox and could have got something out the match. In Ben Gordon, on loan from Chelsea, Killie seem to have found a real gem. The problem I can see for them is the lack of goals. They need everyone pitching in, from defenders going up for set plays, midfielders having shots at goals and making runs beyond strikers, forwards who can get into double figures in the scoring charts.

Motherwell had a midweek trip to Denmark and getting back on the early hours of Friday morning there will be tired legs in the squad. Craig Brown doesn't have the biggest squad to freshen it up. They played well in the first half against Hibernian without really having many clear-cut efforts at goal. This match could go either way depending on how much the European trip takes out of Well. Killie, like Inverness, must play with a tempo that Motherwell cannot handle due to tiredness.

Home advantage and a freshness may swing it.

Prediction: 1-0