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Clement & Tynecastle tussle in the spotlight

Premiership picks graphic
[BBC]

Hearts find themselves bottom of the Premiership as they resume Premiership action at home to Aberdeen on Sunday.

Hibernian's win at Motherwell on Saturday has left their Edinburgh rivals three points adrift. Can Neil Critchley's men claim a much-needed win over the Dons?

And Rangers are looking to build on their excellent Europa League win in Nice when they kick off Sunday's league double-header with a visit St Johnstone.

Game of weekend - Hearts v Aberdeen (Sun, 15:00 GMT)

The initial bounce Hearts enjoyed after the appointment of Critchley has somewhat worn off.

Three wins and only one loss in his opening five games in charge have been followed by four straight defeats.

But Critchley will be pointing out to his players that two of those reverses have come in the Conference League and the others against either side of the Old Firm.

Again, there was some promise in Thursday's performance against Cercle Brugge, with the Belgians capitalising on Lawrence Shankland's sudden loss of confidence by going on to win 2-0 after the Scotland striker fluffed his chance to equalise from the penalty spot.

Hearts and their captain have no time to feel sorry for themselves as second-top Aberdeen arrive intent on inflicting a fourth consecutive home defeat on the Edinburgh side.

The Dons themselves have suffered their first blips since the summer arrival of Jimmy Thelin from Elfsborg.

Having won 12 or their first 13 games under the Swede, they have now only recorded one victory in four - and have gone four trips away from Pittodrie without a win after Hibs' late equaliser in Tuesday's six-goal thriller at Easter Road.

Shankland will be hoping the Dons defence proves similarly porous on Sunday as the 29-year-old, who found the net 33 times last season, looks to end an 11-game barren spell since his only goal this season.

Hearts may need it if they are to inflict Aberdeen's sixth successive defeat at Tynecastle - or at least extend their 12-game unbeaten run there against the Dons since a 2-1 loss in May 2017.

Manager in spotlight - Philippe Clement (Rangers)

Philippe Clement will have greeted Rangers' 4-1 Europa League win over Nice with a mixture of joy, satisfaction, relief and frustration.

The reason for the joy is obvious considering the win in the south of France not only shocked many around Europe means the Belgian's side are almost assured of progress to the knockout stage.

The satisfaction will have come from Hamza Igamane justifying Clement's decision to start the 22-year-old ahead of misfiring striker Cyriel Dessers with two goals and assists in his first European start.

The relief comes amid speculation about his future as manager after a dreadful start to the Premiership campaign.

The frustration results from his side's Jekyll and Hyde contrast between patchy domestic performances and impressive ones in Europe.

With just four points, Rangers have the lowest tally from their opening five away games of a league season since 1987-88 under Graeme Souness.

However, meetings with St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Ross County give Clement a chance to change the domestic narrative before new chief executive Patrick Stewart takes charge on 16 December shortly after more difficult matches with Tottenham Hotspur in Europe and Celtic in the League Cup final.

The omens are good for Rangers on Sunday despite Simo Valakari's side ending their own three-game losing streak by beating Kilmarnock 1-0 last Saturday.

Rangers have won both their meetings with St Johnstone this season and their past three visits to McDiarmid Park, all without conceding a goal, and have won their past seven games against the Perth side.