Scottish Premiership Preview: Form strikers in focus & will Rangers respond?
Key questions ahead of the Scottish Premiership weekend, focusing on Rangers' response and the impact of in-form strikers across the league.
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Following another difficult week for Scottish clubs in European competition, domestic focus returns with a full slate of fixtures. All eyes are on Rangers as they look to bounce back from last weekend's draw against Dundee, which saw their gap to league leaders Celtic widen to four points.
Rangers face a tricky test at home against St Johnstone. While the Perth side sits fifth, Derek McInnes' squad has struggled to close out games, spending a league-high proportion of their match time in drawn positions. Securing a win is vital to maintaining pressure at the top.
The weekend also highlights the pivotal role of strikers in changing team narratives. Aberdeen and Falkirk have seen their fortunes shift significantly thanks to their forwards. Kevin Nisbet has been prolific for Aberdeen, while Jacob Murrell's recent goal-scoring burst has been essential for Falkirk's climb up the table.
Meanwhile, Celtic remain the standard-bearers, having led for nearly 65% of their total game time this season. Conversely, Hibernian faces a daunting challenge against the champions as they search for a win to lift themselves from the bottom of the standings under new management.