The 2018/19 Scottish Premiership season starts this weekend and the biggest fixture takes place on Sunday. Aberdeen welcome Rangers to Pittodrie Stadium in what should be a cracking way to get the new top-flight season going in Scotland.
Celtic will once again begin the season as huge favourites to land the title but Aberdeen are hoping to build on an excellent 2017/18 campaign, when they finished second. Rangers finished third last season, just 3 points behind Aberdeen. Their first objective will be to finish above Aberdeen as they continue to make progress following time in the lower divisions.
Aberdeen have had a busy time ahead of the new domestic season, playing several friendly games and the second qualifying round of the Europa League. Having held by Burnley of the English Premier League to a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie, Aberdeen recorded the same result in the away leg to take the tie to extra-time.
Despite a great effort, Aberdeen ran out of steam in extra-time and Burnley scored 2 goals to win the tie and knock Aberdeen out of the tournament.
Aberdeen will take great heart from their performance and come into this match knowing they are undefeated in ten of their last eleven home Premier League games. The Dons have won seven of those eleven league games and enjoy playing in-front of their own fans.
Trends show Aberdeen have kept four clean sheets in their last five Premiership games and have conceded just 2 goals in their last five on home soil.
Rangers were also in action in the Europa League this week and they picked up a 1-1 draw at home with Osijek of Croatia. Rangers started the game well and could have been out of sight having won the first leg 1-0. However, a late goal for Osijek meant a nervous finish for fans at Ibrox but Rangers held on to progress.
That was Ranger’s second Europa League tie this season having already played Shkupi in the first qualifying round. Rangers won the first leg 2-0 and picked up a 0-0 draw in the second leg to qualify.
There is a lot of media attention around Rangers this season following the appointment of Steven Gerrard as manager. The former Liverpool and England midfielder has no experience of managing a senior team and his appointment must be seen as a gamble by the club.
Trends show Rangers have a good record against Aberdeen, having won five of their last seven away games against the Dons. They are also undefeated in eighteen of their last twenty-one encounters.
Team news and Aberdeen will be without defender Shaleum Logan who is suspended. Midfielder Greg Tansey and defender Mark Reynolds are both injured and will miss out. The final starting XI will depend on the fitness of those who played on Thursday.
Rangers have four players who are unlikely to play any part in the game. Declan John, Jordan Rossiter, Graham Dorrans and Lee Wallace are all struggling with injury.
Given their form against Aberdeen and the fact the Dons were taken into extra-time on Thursday night, Rangers will fancy their chances of getting their domestic campaign off to a good start. Rangers could come away with a narrow win, with both teams scoring.