The Scottish Premiership is at a crucial stage and three midweek fixtures add to this winter’s busy schedule.
Here are the notable games and names.
Game of the night – Aberdeen v Celtic (20:00)
The top two go head-to-head at Pittodrie. Their first league encounter in Glasgow was an enthralling 2-2 draw.
What followed in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden was not wholly unexpected, in that Celtic won – but the 6-0 margin was an ignominious slap down, ending Aberdeen’s 16-match unbeaten streak in emphatic style.
The Dons have subsequently shipped seven points in the league and Brendan Rodgers’ champions travel to the north east four points clear with a game in hand.
Jimmy Thelin, if his media engagements are anything to go by, would be the last to suggest his Aberdeen team are viable title contenders and another loss to Celtic would further dampen that kind of talk.
On the other hand, victory could reignite their season and the Dons do have the Premiership’s only 100% home record to protect, with seven Premiership wins at Pittodrie under Thelin.
Of course, the only team to beat Celtic across 21 matches in this campaign has been Borussia Dortmund and Ronny Deila was in charge the last time they lost away to Aberdeen in 2016.
The leaders could also afford to rest several key players in Saturday’s cruise past Ross County, the day before Aberdeen had to battle for a draw at Tynecastle.
And, while the Dons can be proud of their home form, Celtic boast a 100% record on the road, with 22 goals scored in those seven victories and just two conceded.
With those two perfect sets of results on the line, something has to give and we should be in for a treat.
Player to watch – Lyall Cameron (Dundee)
Lyall Cameron has scored in three of his four Scottish Premiership appearances against Motherwell, including Dundee’s winner at Fir Park in October.
The 22-year-old midfielder was also on target in Saturday’s draw at Kilmarnock, while he has four assists in the league, having taken on more creative responsibility in the wake of Luke McCowan’s departure.
While tackling and pressing may not be his strong suit, he is a real attacking threat and, with his contract up at the end of the season, may soon follow McCowan to a richer club.
“Lyall has got that composure in the final third,” said manager Tony Docherty at Rugby Park. “He takes a breath and makes the right decision more often than not.”
Dundee are aiming for three home wins in a row in the top flight for the first time since 2002 but Motherwell have form at Dens Park, winning five and losing just one of their past seven league visits.
Manager watch – Derek McInnes (Kilmarnock)
With Aberdeen and now Kilmarnock, Derek McInnes has made life difficult for successive Rangers bosses, including securing a 1-0 win over Philippe Clement’s side in October.
However, it’s been far from plain sailing since that victory at Rugby Park, with just one triumph in the past six games.
Saturday’s draw with Dundee at least ended a sequence of three losses but leaves the Ayrshire club a mere three points above bottom side Hearts.
Replicating last season’s fourth-placed finish already appears a tall order.
Having once turned down an approach from Rangers in 2017, McInnes may find himself linked with a return if he can add to the pressure on Clement and earn Kilmarnock’s first win in Govan since March 2018.
But it should be pointed out that the former Light Blues midfielder has lost 13 of his 16 top-flight matches at Ibrox as a manager, including all four with Killie, while Rangers have won their past seven in a row at home in this fixture.
