JAN 4: SCOTS PREMIERSHIP BETTING PREVIEW

ABERDEEN have a one-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership and should extend that to four over Celtic before the champions travel to Kilmarnock on Monday.

The Dons have won six in a row without conceding and a repeat of that at Motherwell pays 9-5 at boylesports.

Aberdeen should win but in the past no one would have touched them away from home at a best price of 8-11 at Coral – cut from 10-11.

Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough's unbeaten run ended with a crushing 5-0 defeat at Hamilton on New Year's Day and the new boss has a number of fitness concerns.

Barry Robson returns to the Dons squad after recovering from illness. Manager Derek McInnes has no fresh injury worries for the trip to Lanarkshire following the 2-0 win over St Johnstone on New Year's Day and I expect his side to keep up the pressure on Celtic.

Inverness have to be taken at 8-13 with Paddy Power at home to St Mirren after returning to form with a 3-1 win at Ross County that ended a run of three defeats. Saints struggled badly as they crashed 2-1 at home to Killie last week.

Greg Tansey has scored in his last three matches against St Mirren and is 6-1 at Coral to do so again.

Ross Draper returns for Inverness having served a two-game suspension and boss John Hughes has no other problems.

St Mirren midfielder Kenny McLean will be free to play after the club appealed the red card he received against Killie and striker Steven Thompson also returns from suspension. Marc McAusland should feature in defence despite receiving seven stitches to a head wound against Killie.

Dundee Utd were superb as they demolished Dundee 6-2 last Thursday and I like them at 13-10 with Ladbrokes at Partick Thistle who still have many injury woes.

Frederic Frans (hamstring), Sean Welsh, (bone bruising), Abdul Osman (hamstring) and Jordan McMillan (personal reasons) are all out and while midfielder Stuart Bannigan has recovered from a sickness bug Gary Fraser and Kallum Higginbotham have now both fallen ill and will miss out. Injured full-back Jake Carroll has returned to parent club Huddersfield to be assessed.

United midfielder Paul Paton is available having served his three-match ban. Centre-back Callum Morris may return from an Achilles injury which kept him out of the New Year's Day derby win.

St Johnstone's run of six wins ended at Aberdeen and their clash at home to Hamitlon is tough to call but best bet could be both to score at 39-40 with McBookie.

Brian Graham returns from suspension for St Johnstone which should give manager Tommy Wright a full squad after James McFadden and Murray Davidson brushed off problems to come off the bench at Aberdeen on New Year's Day. Defender Tam Scobbie also returned to the bench following several months out with a knee injury for the defeat.

Hamilton player-manager Alex Neil is an injury doubt – the midfielder came off with a tight hamstring during the 5-0 thrashing of Motherwell. Forward Andy Ryan (groin) and defender Ziggy Gordon (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Dundee look like being without keeper Kyle Letheren so Scott Bain may return to action sooner than expected after Arvid Schenk conceded six goals against United on his Debut. Skipper Kevin Thomson could return after missing the derby through a leg knock.

Ross County could be without Michael Gardyne after he missed the defeat by Inverness with a rib injury. Manager Jim McIntyre is set to make changes after taking Yoann Arquin and Terry Dunfield off in the first half of the derby. Tony Dingwall (hand), Ben Frempah (ankle), Rocco Quinn (hip) and Darren Barr (knee) remain on the sidelines.

This is another one that could go either way but with County unbeaten against Dundee in eight matches I'm going with the draw at 13-5 with bet365.

Recommended Bets

Aberdeen/Inverness
(6-4, Ladbrokes)

Dundee Utd
(13-10, William Hill)

St Johnstone v Hamilton
(39-40, McBookie)

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