5 things we learned from the Scottish Premiership this weekend

| 07 October 2018

Hearts are two points clear at the top.

Hearts remain top of the Ladbrokes Premiership despite suffering their first defeat of the season as they lost 3-1 to Rangers at Ibrox.

Here Press Association Sport takes a look at five other things we learned from the weekend’s action.

Rangers back in the title hunt

Steven Gerrard on today's 3-1 win for Rangers over league leaders Hearts: “Today doesn’t heal Livingston, but it was certainly a statement and has blown the title wide open and made it a little bit better looking for us.”

— Andy Newport (@AndyNewportPA) October 7, 2018

The Light Blues’ search for title number 55 looked in danger of going flat when they slipped up again at Livingston last weekend. The loss at the Tony Macaroni Arena meant Steven Gerrard’s team had dropped 10 points in their first seven games and the boss warned defeat to Hearts would spell the end of their championship ambitions. But they have now trimmed their deficit to the Jambos to five points and will feel they are back in with a chance.

Forrest hits top form ahead of Scotland duty

Celtic’s James Forrest slots home his fourth goal against St Johnstone — **Celtic**’s James Forrest slots home his fourth goal against St Johnstone (Graham Stuart/PA)

The Celtic winger was in sensational form against St Johnstone, scoring four first-half goals in a 6-0 win. He is the first Celtic player to net four times in an away match since Maciej Zurawski in an 8-1 victory at Dunfermline in February 2006 and helped the Hoops go within three points of the leaders. On that form, Forrest will surely have played himself into Alex McLeish’s plans for this week’s Nations League clash with Israel in Haifa.

Kilmarnock fans are daring to dream

🎥 Fancy seeing the goals from our win in Dundee?

Just The Goals 👉 https://t.co/twabeKLG2g pic.twitter.com/fzTIxSssq0

— Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) October 6, 2018

As Killie comfortably saw out a 2-1 win at Dundee to move third, the travelling support started singing: “We’re gonna win the league”. Optimism is always good but given both Hibernian and Killie have amassed the most points in 2018 so far, maybe not that outrageous a claim.

High praise for Stevie Mallan

⚽️📷 @HibernianFC notched up the biggest win of the day, beating @acciesfc 6-0 at Easter Road pic.twitter.com/vvCxhF17xB

— SPFL (@spfl) October 6, 2018

The Easter Road midfielder took his tally since moving to Leith this summer to seven goals with his double during Hibs’ 6-0 drubbing of Hamilton. Afterwards boss Neil Lennon paid the former St Mirren player the ultimate tribute by comparing his finishing technique to that of his ex-Parkhead team-mate Lubomir Moravcik. If he can produce even a fraction of what the little Slovakian magician managed during his Celtic days then the Hibs faithful will be in for a treat.

Sam Cosgrove finally makes his mark

💪 Morning Red Army! 🔴⚪🔴⚪#StandFree pic.twitter.com/kf6n64QvJx

— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) October 7, 2018

It is fair to say the former Carlisle striker has not exactly set the world alight since joining the Dons in January. But he finally broke his eight-month duck as he netted twice against hapless St Mirren as the Dons claimed a 4-1 triumph. Goals have been in short supply at Pittodrie this term and Derek McInnes could do with the frontman maintaining his new-found killer touch.

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