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Lawrence Shankland’s second-half penalty gave Derek McInnes and Rangers some much-needed respite with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
The tale since the Gers manager arrived from Hearts in the summer has been one of constant change in formation and personnel amid exits from two European competitions and a poor start to the Premiership campaign. The Ibrox side turned in a better performance than many of late and in the 69th minute the captain, Shankland, a former Don, converted a spot-kick won by Djeidi Gassama.
The Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet had the ball in the Rangers net in the 81st minute but was judged to have pushed the full-back Dujon Sterling and the goal was ruled out.
McInnes has brought in 12 new players including debutant Kim Min-su, the 20-year-old South Korean winger signed from Girona on a four-year deal for a reported fee of about £8.5m, and who performed well before he was replaced in the second half. Progress is proving frustratingly slow for their fans but three hard-fought points will bring some positivity to Ibrox.
On Saturday Camilo Durán, in his preferred position of centre-forward, scored both goals for Celtic in their 2-1 win over Falkirk.
The Colombian hit two striker’s goals in the opening 29 minutes and also set up several teammates for chances. Falkirk improved after the break and their ambition was rewarded by Colby Donovan’s own goal in the 72nd minute.
The win continued Celtic’s perfect start to the domestic season, but it was preceded by a display of frustration over the club’s inability to secure Champions League qualification after a four-goal aggregate lead was squandered in Thursday’s 5-1 defeat by Lask.
The Celtic ultras mocked the club board’s declaration that they aim to be “world class” in everything they do with banners listing the teams who have beaten Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers in the past 14 years, below one that read “‘world class’ embarrassment”.
However, fans got behind the team throughout the afternoon and one chant of “sack the board” emanating from the standing section did not take off around the rest of Celtic Park.
Hearts held firm at the end of a gruelling week to close out an unconvincing 2-1 home win over St Johnstone and climb to second in the table. The Jambos – buoyed by their midweek Conference League playoff triumph away to Rapid Vienna – were good value for their two-goal lead after James Wilson’s early strike was followed by a second that went down as an own goal from the Saints debutant Enes Alic.
But the hosts faded after the break and they were left clinging on in the closing stages after Ruari Paton pulled one back for the visitors early in the second half.
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Dundee United produced a fine performance in the absence of their manager, Jim Goodwin, as they thrashed Kilmarnock 4-0 at Rugby Park. Goodwin was admitted to hospital on Thursday and the club said on Saturday morning the 44-year-old “continues to deal with an ongoing medical matter”.
His players, under the guidance of assistant Lee Sharp, did him proud as three first-half goals helped ease them to a first Premiership victory of the campaign. United, who had not scored in their previous three games in all competitions, were three up by 41 minutes thanks to Emmanuel Agyei’s opener, Zac Sapsford’s penalty and a Will Ferry beauty.
Jesse Randall added a late fourth as Killie conceded for the 13th time in three top-flight matches to remain bottom of the table without a point.
Later on Sunday, Hibernian are at Dundee, while Motherwell travel to St Mirren.
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This story will be updated
