It’s stick your neck on the line time as Scottish Premiership action prepares to begin again.
The one thing you can guarantee is that it won’t be quiet, but what team will finish where is hard to call. Celtic will look to fend off a Rangers challenge for the league title while Hearts have designs on cementing third spot once again.
Hibs are under new head coach leadership with David Gray and he will be keen to get the club back into top half territory. That’s the same goal for Jimmy Thelin at Aberdeen, and there’s the added angle of how Kilmarnock and St Mirren will both cope with European qualifiers.
Predicting the Premiership table come May is almost impossible but we’ll do our best to try and decipher who comes where. So much can change between now and the end of the transfer window but as things stand, here’s how we think the league will look at the end of the season.
9. 4th - Aberdeen
Jimmy Thelin has gone quietly about his business in Aberdeen. Miovski going would be a huge blow but bringing in £6.5m would provide ample room for a replacement and upgrading the entire team. Mitov a big buy between the sticks and Sivert Heltne Nilsen has filled the Ramadani shaped hole in the team. A return to Europe for the Dons. | SNS Group Photo: SNS
10. 3rd - Hearts
They have built a team filled with Premiership experience and added quality throughout to give them a fighting chance in Europe. If they can get the balance right between those games and keep Shankland, Hearts will waltz to third again. | SNS Group
11. 2nd - Rangers
Another term in the runners-up spot. Patience is required with boss Philippe Clement as he guts the team of stars who had been on expensive wages. Signings have in the main been of a younger type and with no games at Ibrox at least to begin with, hard to see where they make grounds to launch a lengthy title charge. | SNS Group
12. 1st - Celtic
Celtic have arguably got weaker outfield ahead of matchday 1 yet still have comfortably the best squad right now in Scotland. That is an ominous sign with additions still to be made, and we think they will win the league by 10+ points. | SNS Group