There's a fierce wind blowing and a couple of long balls have held up at both ends.

Rangers with the latest, Cyriel Dessers just about nipped in, but he was offside.

First chance for the hosts.

Roland Idowu drops the shoulder to shake off Mo Sylla before breezing past Finlay Robertson and barrelling a shot at Trevor Carson's goal.

Carson makes the save and nothing comes of the resulting corner.

Cameron Carter-Vickers fires over the crossbar in Celtic's first chance of the half.

It's cut-back for Reo Hatate on the edge of the box who plays it through to the centre-back but he can't find the target.

James Wilson breaks through again but it's a strong challenge from Akil Wright to stop the Hearts teenager.

He had to make that tackle inch-perfect, and he did.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

Hollywood star Macaulay Culkin makes an appearance inside Fir Park... Okay, not the man himself but the Motherwell Bois have unfurled a banner sporting his face from the Home Alone days, with the words "this is our house and we have to defend it".

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We're up and running at most of the grounds.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell tells BBC Sportsound energy is key as he hopes his side "cause Rangers trouble".

"You need optimum energy throughout the team against Celtic and Rangers, so, without looking too far ahead, I've tried to break this down as two games. It's nice to introduce Paul McGinn back into the squad today with that in mind.

"I think we've got good quality players and we've got decent energy so it's about trying to thrive when we have moments in possession to try and cause Rangers trouble."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland: "No two games are ever the same. It is easy to say you want the same outcome, a win, but to do that, we are going to have to overcome a team who have picked themselves up recently.

"Hibs have improved, their change in system has helped them. There is a good balance about them.

"I have went for the same team that did so well against Aberdeen because we have been searching for that kind of performance. It was our best attacking and defensive display of the season.

"Danny [Armstrong] had a wee issue with his ankle in the second half against Aberdeen. We gave him up to this morning and he was ed fit."

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Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

It's back-to-back fixtures against the Old Firm for Motherwell, so what will the approach be?

Will they try and get in their opponents faces, as they look to perhaps take advantage of a fragility within the way Rangers have started league games away from home this season?

The visitors will feel they have a point to prove after their Boxing Day defeat in Paisley. They can't afford any slip-ups regardless of their impending New Year meeting with Celtic.

As for Motherwell, they'll want to get back on track, too. History suggests a win might not come this afternoon, though.

Boxing Day 2002 was the last time Motherwell beat Rangers in a top flight fixture. But, then again, records are made to be broken...

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

These teams at Easter Road could not come in to this match in much better form and for home fans they will want to end the year on a high and a fourth win on the bounce.

Kilmarnock haven't won at Easter Road for 10 years, a statistic that Derek McInnes wasn't aware of. But he feels this current crop of players are now hitting form at the right time to end that dismal run.

Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "You saw on the pitch what [the Edinburgh derby victory] meant to everybody involved. A special moment for the fans and for the players. Once you get back into the changing room, the attention turns to today with the quick turnaround, it was all about rest and recovery.

"It is always a challenge once you have had such a high win. The expectation that is on us today because of the run of results and performances is a different challenge in itself.

"They will come here and they are all very difficult to play against. Really well organised. A strong, physical side. We need to be at our very best to win today.

"Elie [Youan] picked up a foot problem in the derby, so he did not quite make it today. That should not be a long-term one. We have brought in Junior [Hoilett], he brings a lot of quality and freshness.

"Warren O'Hora has been nursing an ankle injury. With the quick turnaround, we have gone with freshness there as well."

St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari tells BBC Scotland: "We need to be more confident and we have to show that on the field.

"There is no better place to show your confidence than playing here against the best team in Scotland. At the same time it's the most difficult place to create this confidence.

"We need to do our things as well as possible, suffer those moments when we need to defend and believe we can do the football as well as possible. Then you start getting your confidence.

"Our boys are good footballers but at the same time they are realistic and they know we need to be better than we have been."

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty tells BBC Sportsound: "Over this period, the games are coming thick and fast and you need to be ready.

"I'm just a wee bit rocked by the news that Antonio Portales, who I had to take off at half-time against Ross County, is out for six weeks with a hamstring [injury].

"Jordan McGhee, fortunately, is back. It's challenging at the moment because we're racking up injuries to good, experienced players.

"It's the experience of the players that are out: Clark Robertson, Joe Shaughnessy, Scott Fraser, Ziyad Larkeche and Antonio Portales. Arguably these guys would start in any top six teams.

"That creates an opportunity for other boys to come in and stake their claim. They know the expectations that I put on them so it'll be interesting today to see how they do against a St Mirren team that are doing really well at the moment."

Hearts' head coach Neil Critchley tells BBC Scotland: "It was a sore one, no one likes losing a derby game. It hurt the players but you have to move forward quickly.

"We spoke about the game, highlighted a few things we should have done better, as we always do. It's about showing a response today.

"We have to show a response and that's been a common theme, because of our inconsistency. It's not what we want to do.

"[Shankland] felt his calf a bit after the Hibs game. He trained yesterday, he's travelled with us but didn't feel 100% this morning. Not a risk we can take."

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Manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Sportsound that St Mirren have gone "under the radar".

"We've picked up really consistent results," he says. "Early on in the the season, we had our struggles which is to be expected with our first European adventure and a lot of off the field problems.

"We're starting to get a little bit of stability in the squad now. We're up against a Dundee side who go a little bit more direct with three strikers. Nothing's a given in this league. Without one of our very best performances, we won't win.

"Our success is testament to the players. We've picked up good results but we've made it difficult for ourselves as well. We've played particularly poorly at the start of second halves and then had to go and chase the game.

"We keep our feet on the ground win, lose or draw and we just try and be better with each performance."

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "Callum McGregor plays in virtually all the games so we need to take the shine off him a little bit.

"He's only human so we need to give him a little rest. I know he's there if I need him but he needs to recover sometimes.

"The strength is what you'd want it to be. It's always good to be able to pick from a full strength squad and all the players are contributing really well.

"I never see these games as top vs bottom, I see it as the next competition and we have to ensure our mindset and mentality is the same as it always is.

"If we get the win today and the performance to go with it, we can look back a 2024 as one of the real historical seasons within the club. I came back to try and progress the club and the team and so far this season has been fantastic."

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Rangers manager Phillipe Clement tells BBC Sportsound he was "forced" to make some of his seven changes due to illness and squad rotation, warning it could result in "less fluidity".

"Ianis Hagi was planned to start, but it's not possible because he came in ill and now has a fever so he cannot play," he said. "Vaclav Cerny, for example, has been playing double the amount of minutes that he played last year so he's getting tired and the performance staff are worried about injuries - same with Hamza Igamane and Jefte.

"This is a good test for the depth of the squad. We need to get Oscar Cortes back as he was an important player before his injury. Ridvan Yilmaz has been playing well out of position, so now he can play in his normal position. It's about finding a good balance.

"There are a lot of changes which will have a consequence of a little bit less fluidity, but they all know their job."

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