Celtic juggernaut gathers more momentumpublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
17:15 GMT 26 December 2024
FT: Celtic 4-0 Motherwell
Kheredine Idessane BBC Scotland at Celtic Park
Manager Brendan Rodgers wanted his team to show their clinical side and he wasn't disappointed.
Despite a largely uninspiring first 45, the champions showed why they're so far clear at the top with a ruthless second-half display to blow their opponents away.
To have two wide players on 13 goals for the season shows just how dangerous this Celtic team can be. Daizen Maeda and substitute Nicolas Kuhn were both on the scoresheet again.
The daunting task facing Motherwell - and anyone else for that matter - was best exemplified when, at 3-0 up, Celtic went to the bench and brought on Kuhn, Kyogo and Reo Hatate, whose late goal was a thing of beauty in the build-up and excellence in the execution.
Celtic are in a huge position of strength and, linked with a move to bring former star full-back Kieran Tierney back to Glasgow, appear to be approaching the impending transfer window with yet more ambition.
County end long wait for away winpublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
17:11 GMT 26 December 2024
FT: Dundee 0-3 Ross County.
Tyrone Smith BBC Sport Scotland at Dens Park
Ross County's 15-month wait for an away league win is over. And in some style too.
Not many people would have seen this result coming, but it has the feel of a huge one for the Staggies.
One swallow doesn't make a summer, but if they can continue to produce performances like this then manager Don Cowie will be confident his side can start to climb the table.
Dundee, meanwhile, must make sure they don't get sucked into things at the wrong end of the table after a day to forget.
United flying and climbing tablepublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
17:03 GMT 26 December 2024
FT: St Johnstone 1-2 Dundee United
Martin Dowden BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park
'The table doesn't lie' is a term you often hear and for Dundee United it makes fabulous reading for them.
Just short of halfway through their campaign, they are now up to fourth place and only six points adrift of an Aberdeen side who were out of sight early this season.
Most assumed the Dons would comfortably have third place secured given where they were, but with the sides facing each other at Tannadice in their next fixture.
Everything seems up for grabs and United are very much on the ascendency. They've shown a number of qualities since their Premiership return and required many of them here after falling behind.
Their response was emphatic and the travelling absolutely loved it.
FULL-TIME St Johnstone 1-2 Dundee Unitedpublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
16:58 GMT 26 December 2024
United's excellent campaign keeps on going. After trailing to Makenzie Kirk's goal at the end of the first half, the Tangerines turned it around brilliantly after the break.
Glenn Middleton slammed in the equaliser from distance and then the league's top scorer Sam Dalby headed them in front.
Even with Declan Gallagher's sending off on 87 minutes, they were able to see it out comfortably.
It sets up a brilliant game against Aberdeen at Tannadice in three days' time. They've got the struggling Dons in their sights.
St Johnstone offered nothing after the break and stay two points adrift at the bottom.
FULL-TIME Celtic 4-0 Motherwellpublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
16:57 GMT 26 December 2024
Image source, SNS
Brendan Rodgers' side cruise to victory over Motherwell.
The visitors held Celtic until injury time in the first half when Aston Oxborough's challenge on Hyunjun Yang gifted the hosts a chance to go ahead from the spot.
From then on, it was comfortable for the reigning champions, who bounced back from their goalless draw with Dundee United a few days ago.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 4-0 Aberdeenpublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
16:51 GMT 26 December 2024
Bruce Anderson
The ex-Dons striker makes it four at Rugby Park. Incredible.
A whipped Liam Donnelly cross finds Innes Cameron at the back post, allowing the substitute to excellently guide his header back across the face of goal.
Bruce Anderson is ready to pounce, acrobatically thumping the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-0 to the home team.
There are also big celebrations from Anderson against his former club. Ruthless.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 3-0 Aberdeenpublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2024
16:45 GMT 26 December 2024
Innes Cameron
Easy on the eyes, that one.
Fraser Murray dinks a sumptuous outside-of-the-foot through for substitute Innes Cameron to chase, allowing the forward to tidily lift the ball over Dimitar Mitov.
Ross County ended a wait of 15 months for an away victory in style by galloping to a 3-0 win over Dundee that lifts them four points clear of the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
September 2023 was the last time County picked up all three points on the road, but goals from Noah Chilvers, Joshua Nisbet and Jordan White secured the Dingwall side's first away under manager Don Cowie.
"Psychologically, for the group it's huge," Cowie told BBC Scotland. "Time will tell how important it is and how we build on it, but it's good to stop the run we were on.
"I saw some individually brilliant performances today and collectively we were really strong. We earned it today."
Chilvers' arrowed strike had the visitors ahead, with the Englishman playing a delightful one-two on the edge of the box before drilling into the bottom corner.
It was Cowie's side who showed they had the mentality to get over the line when Chilvers set up Nisbet nicely, slipping the ball in behind with the Australian midfielder finishing coolly.
Dundee didn't help themselves, gifting County a penalty to kill the game off when Josh Mulligan caught Nisbet when trying to clear a corner. White stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way.
County rise to 10th in the league table, moving a point behind ninth-placed Dundee.
It has been 481 days since County won away from home in the league.
It was an early-season trip to Kilmarnock last term, with Simon Murray scoring the winner for Malky Mackay's side. An astonishing 24 Premiership away games ago.
Whatever Father Christmas put in the Staggies' stockings, it certainly worked.
They started well, using player of the match Chilvers well in the hole, as he linked up with Jack Grieves and Ronan Hale up front.
In defence, they were organised and kept Dundee out well, throwing bodies in front of the ball if ever their rearguard was pierced.
Amissah had little, almost nothing, to do in goal. Instead, it was slick play up front that gave them their goals - as well as a helping hand from poor Dundee defending.
Now that monkey is off the back, they can gain confidence and look to build on their decent home form, which has made Dingwall a tricky place to go.
Dismal Dundee turn in worst display of season
Everything that Dundee have been lauded for over the last 16 months since their return to the top flight was missing here.
They offered very little up front and looked porous at the back. It was little surprise Tony Docherty changed two at half-time, but it could have been even more.
They were slow out the blocks and never really fired a shot at their visitors, and the worry is that County are now chasing them down in the bottom six.
The penalty, conceded by Mulligan, might rankle the most. It was a lazy challenge that killed off any hope of fighting back - something Dundee are normally decent at - and epitomised the sluggish nature of their play.
They have shown plenty of courage and grit on numerous occasions since they came back to the Premiership, but they need to be careful or else they'll be dragged into the quagmire with Hearts, County and St Johnstone.
What they said
Ross County manager Don Cowie: "I'm delighted to get a really important three points. It was an outstanding performance from start to finish; the boys implemented the game plan really well.
"I'm mainly delighted for the ers. A lot has been made of the fact we've not won away from home in a long time. The miles that they cover to us, to win in that manner was very pleasing."
Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "I didn't see that coming because we knew we'd have to work the ball into wide areas, make good decisions, eliminate players one-on-one and we didn't do that.
"I apologise to the home fans for that. All we can do is make sure we win that derby at home. I feel a bit let down today, we could have done so much more."
Dundee’s 2-0 win over Ross County in February last season ended a seven-game winless run at home to the Staggies in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L4).
Ross County have won 50% of their top-flight meetings with Dundee (12/24) – their best ratio against any opponent in Scotland’s top tier.
Dundee’s last top-flight win on Boxing Day came in 2000 (3-0 v Motherwell), with the Dee losing six of seven such matches since (D1).
Ross County have lost each of their last three Scottish Premiership games on Boxing Day; their last such win, though, was over Dundee in 2015 (5-2).
Dundee have won each of their last three home league games, scoring 3+ goals in each (11 in total). Ross County, meanwhile, are winless in their last 25 away matches in the Scottish Premiership (D9 L16), losing their last three in a row while conceding 3+ goals in each (11 total).