Pressure on Rangers, Monty's first derby & Hatate worry

Hopefully a fresh diet of Scottish Premiership action can lift the gloom after another sobering week of European football for the country's three remaining representatives.

Here's what to look out for this weekend:

Game of weekend - Heart of Midlothian v Hibernian

Talking of Europe, Saturday's Edinburgh derby protagonists have started to pick up domestic results following their own failures to qualify for the Europa Conference League group stage.

Hibs are now unbeaten in five outings, four under new head coach Nick Montgomery, while Hearts have won three of their latest four.

Neither are the finished article, with Hibs still looking fragile at the back and Steven Naismith's side still searching for creativity and punch up front.

While both do appear to be heading in the right direction, Tynecastle is not a destination Hibs have enjoyed in recent times.

Hearts are unbeaten in five home derbies, winning three of them, since Hibs enjoyed a 2-0 success there in December 2019.

Indeed, Hibs' 1-0 win at Easter Road in April is their only derby win in the latest 11 meetings between the sides.

Montgomery, though, might consider it a good omen that none of the last six Hibs team bosses have lost their first league derby in charge.

Whatever happens, the English-born former Scotland Under-21 cap will no doubt be another to enthuse about the electric atmosphere on derby day at Tynecastle.

Player to watch - Reo Hatate (Celtic)

Reo Hatate picked up a bang in the face on Wednesday

Reo Hatate has gone from being touted for a big-money transfer to struggling to recreate his former glory.

Summer reports suggested the Japan international, the main creative force in a dynamic midfield that powered Celtic to a domestic treble last season, was poised to follow manager Ange Postecoglou to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, amid the speculation, he found himself behind David Turnbull in the early pecking order under new boss Rodgers before an injury hampered his chances further.

Hatate has since won his place back - and a contract extension - but has still not looked like is former self.

Admittedly hampered by an elbow in the face that somehow went unnoticed in Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Lazio, Hatate not only had far fewer touches on the ball than midfield partners Callum McGregor and Matt O'Riley but fewer than anyone on the pitch.

Even centre-half Nat Phillips had more and he was substituted after only 62 minutes and, even when Hatate did have the ball, the passes were no longer delivered with the accuracy or danger of old.

Could the bruises picked up in the encounter with Lazio be the signal for Rodgers to hand Hatate a rest against the softer prospect of a home meeting with Kilmarnock on Saturday?

Manager in the spotlight - Steven Davis (Rangers)

In terms of its significance for the top of the table - and the destination of the league title - Rangers' visit to St Mirren Park on Sunday eclipses the Edinburgh derby.

For the visitors and their interim manager, Steven Davis, the implications go far wider than merely the question of whether he can prove himself worthy of securing the job permanently.

That horse might have already bolted given the 38-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder was unable to inspire an improved performance in Thursday's lacklustre Europa League group-stage defeat by Aris Limassol.

Especially so as it came amid reports elsewhere that Rangers have already held talks with the likes of Frank Lampard and Kevin Muscat - and with even the likes of former England manager Sam Allardyce expressing an interest.

Now Davis and Rangers' expensively assembled misfiring squad return to a domestic scene where they have no more wriggle room if they want to retain title aspirations - and away to the side currently sitting above them in second place and who are unbeaten in the league.

Lose and Rangers will find themselves six points behind Sunday's hosts and having only won eight of their 16 games this season.

Indeed, the pressure could have mounted further even by kick-off time should the Ibrox side find themselves 10 behind city rivals and reigning champions Celtic - and as low as fifth in the table should Hearts and Motherwell also win on Saturday. Surely unthinkable for a club the size of Rangers.

St Mirren have stuttered a bit themselves after a defeat and draw, but Stephen Robinson's early surprise packages have won all but one of their home games this season

The Northern Irishman has yet to manage a side to victory over Rangers across 16 fixtures in charge of Motherwell and St Mirren, who have not beaten the Glasgow side in nine meetings since a 3-2 success in Paisley in December 2020.

However, as Rangers are finding out, precedent and a famous history cannot be relied upon on their own.

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