Hearts vs. Hibernian (Thursday, 12.30pm)
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Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park.
HMFC returned to winning ways before Christmas and aim for consecutive Premiership wins for the first time this season against an opponent chasing three league victories on the trot.
We say: Hearts 2-2 Hibernian
Although Hearts have claimed four wins in the previous 10 derbies, only one of those victories has come in the previous 12 months.
Another Edinburgh derby stalemate is anticipated on Thursday, with both sides finding the back of the net at Tynecastle Park.
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Celtic vs. Motherwell (Thursday, 3.00pm)
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Arguably the pick of the Boxing Day fixtures in the Scottish Premiership will see league leaders Celtic taking on fourth-placed Motherwell at Celtic Park.
Celtic will end 2024 at the summit of the league standings regardless of the outcome over the final two matches of the year, while Motherwell will be looking to draw closer to the top three before the turn of the calendar.
We say: Celtic 3-1 Motherwell
While Motherwell have managed to take a point from their last two visits to this venue, Celtic will be determined to return to winning ways after that 0-0 draw away to Dundee United last weekend.
The Hoops have not dropped points in consecutive league games in over a year, and we feel they will extend that record by picking up their 15th win of the season in this one.
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Dundee vs. Ross County (Thursday, 3.00pm)
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Boxing Day brings us a bottom-half clash in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee set to take on a struggling Ross County at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park.
This is the first time that these two will face off at this venue this season, but the Staggies won 2-0 when they met in Dingwall back in September.
We say: Dundee 2-0 Ross County
While Dundee suffered back-to-back defeats leading up to this match, both those games were on the road, while at home, they are gunning a fourth straight win and scored 11 goals in their last three.
Ross County, on the other hand, are in freefall right now, currently riding a four match losing streak and they are yet to win a match on the road this term. We feel the hosts should be able to take the points in this one.
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Kilmarnock vs. Aberdeen (Thursday, 3.00pm)
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A stuttering Aberdeen will be hoping for some post-Christmas cheer when they travel to the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Thursday.
The hosts will kick off Boxing Day in ninth place with 18 points in as many games, while the visitors are now third in the league standings with 34 points after 17 matches.
We say: Kilmarnock 1-1 Aberdeen
After an incredible start to the season, Aberdeen have now gone six matches without victory and are missing their first-team goalkeeper and top-scorer due to injury. Kilmarnock, meanwhile, are a long way from the type of form we saw last season, currently the second-lowest-scoring team in the top flight.
This is a match that both sides will likely feel they can win, but given their current form and recent league records, we feel there will be nothing to split them at the final whistle.
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St Johnstone vs. Dundee Utd (Thursday, 3.00pm)
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Embattled St Johnstone will be aiming to end a four-match winless run as they welcome Dundee United to McDiarmid Park for a Boxing Day clash in the Scottish Premiership.
The hosts currently languish at the foot of the table with just 14 points from 18 outings, while the visitors sit in fifth place, having accumulated 25 points from 17 matches.
We say: St Johnstone 0-1 Dundee United
When the league's worst home side faces off against the third-worst away side, few would anticipate a spectacle – however, we still back the visitors to edge this encounter, given their comparatively higher level of performance this season.
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St Mirren vs. Rangers (Thursday, 5.45pm)
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The final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers.
The hosts will enter this fixture in sixth place in the league standings, with 24 points after 18 games, while the visitors moved up to second last week, now on 35 points after 16 matches.
We say: St Mirren X-Y Rangers
While Rangers have not been at their best on the road this season, they have not lost to this opponent in 14 consecutive matches across all competitions, and we feel they will be able to extend that record with another victory in this one.
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Barney Corkhill
