Aberdeen and Rangers will return to action following their winter break on Tuesday when they compete against each other, with both teams looking to kick-start 2022 with a bang.
The hosts could slip into the bottom half of the table with a defeat, adding pressure on this fixture, while the Gers will be looking to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the table.
Match preview
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Aberdeen were victorious in their most recent outing on Boxing Day, defeating Dundee 2-1 due to goals from Ryan Hedges and Lewis Ferguson.
The Dons did end 2021 with a bang, winning four of their final six matches, scoring 10 goals in the process while also keeping a couple of clean sheets.
When they last met Rangers, it was Steven Gerrard in the dugout, and Aberdeen were able to take a two-goal lead in the first 20 minutes, but they failed to hold on as the two teams ended up sharing the points after a 2-2 draw.
That is a result that both squads will be hoping to improve upon this weekend, especially since a victory could see Stephen Glass's team climb above Hibernian into fifth place.
The Dons shall be attempting to kick on in the second half of the season after losing more matches than they have won to this point, which has stopped them from progressing further up the table.
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On the other hand, Rangers head into 2022 in a perfect position as the league leaders, which is something that they shall be aiming to continue as the squad aims to retain the SPL this season.
The Gers have a six-point lead ahead of their Old Firm rivals at the moment, and they will not want to risk that being shortened at this point in the season.
The squad have not conceded a goal in the league since November 28, keeping six clean sheets in a row to end 2021 in style, and they won all of those matches as well.
Rangers have not been beaten in the league since their second game of the season, back in August, when they faced Dundee United, which showcases the dominance that they have had.
Scott Wright and Alfredo Morelos were on target in their most recent outing, which was a 2-0 victory against St Mirren, and repeating that is something that the group would be pleased with.
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Team News
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After the winter break, both teams should be able to bring some freshness to the field, albeit with some rustiness after not having a competitive game for so long.
Kevin Hanratty will no longer be available for Aberdeen after he headed out on loan to Elgin City, while Matty Longstaff is also gone after returning to Newcastle United.
However, the Dons recalled Connor Barron at the start of the transfer market, and he could be set to push into the first team for the second half of the season.
Filip Helander remains an absentee for Rangers due to his knee injury, while Nnamdi Ofoborh is also out of action because of his heart condition.
The club decided to sell Nathan Patterson to Everton within this transfer window, although he had not been a regular in the starting lineup this season.
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; Ramsay, McCrorie, Bates, Hayes; Ojo, Ferguson,, Jenks; Hedges, Watkins, Ramirez
Rangers possible starting lineup:
McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic; Hagi, Kamara, Arfield; Wright, Kent, Morelos
We say: Aberdeen 0-2 Rangers
While Aberdeen will be sure to provide a stern test for Rangers, the Gers have been dominant throughout the entire season, which is something that should continue into 2022.
The defensive qualities that the team have provide them with a distinct advantage, having not conceded a single goal in their previous six matches, they should be able to hold the Dons out.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Rangers win with a probability of 54.93%. A draw had a probability of 23.2% and a win for Aberdeen had a probability of 21.87%.
The most likely scoreline for a Rangers win was 0-1 with a probability of 10.56%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (9.83%) and 0-2 (9.45%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (10.98%), while for an Aberdeen win it was 1-0 (6.14%). The actual scoreline of 1-1 was predicted with a 11% likelihood.
