SOUTHAMPTON were the only promoted side away from home on the first Premier League weekend but the Saints can make up for their Newcastle disappointment by beating Nottingham Forest at St Mary's. Russell Martin's players couldn't quite manage to share the points against 10-man Toon but they showed enough in their first match back in the top flight to make 29/20 look the day's best bet in England . 3 Southampton manager Russell Martin gets involved in the narrow defeat at Newcastle Credit: Getty 3 Jim likes Jimmy Thelin's Dons at home against Kilmarnock Credit: Kenny Ramsay ABERDEEN make this weekend's top 5 at 3/4 with home advantage against Kilmarnock tomorrow and I'm sweet on both Dundee clubs getting 3 points in this afternoon's matches at Tannadice and Easter Road.
I tipped DUNDEE UNITED to take all 3 points at home to St Mirren last Sunday at 23/20 and I'm siding with Jim Goodwin 's side back on league business at home against St Johnstone at around 10/11. 14/5 Saints' decent showing against Rangers was overshadowed by the first goal controversy but I really liked the way United went about their business last weekend and they're starting to look strong defensively too. DUNDEE have scored 29 goals in 7 games including 2 at Tannadice and 3 at home to Hearts and I can see Tony Docherty's side having the confidence to go to Easter Road thinking 3 points is a distinct possibility.
Read More Football Stories TRANSFER TALK Rodgers breaks silence on Kyogo's future and gives transfer update on O'Riley HOME AGAIN Rangers vs Ross County betting tips and £60 in free bets for Premiership clash David Gray has at least managed to get two tough games against Celtic out of the ay without the suggestion of a hiding in goals terms but I just can't see why Hibs are as short as 11/10 to win this game and Dundee look to have excellent prospects value of winning this at 23/10. AYR landed the money at 4/7 after battling back from 2-1 down to beat Hamilton last weekend and I'm right behind Scott Brown 's players again this week at home to Raith Rovers . The Somerset crowd are getting used to seeing a winning team and 3/1 Rovers could have a tough day against the 17/20 home side who look good value to make it 4 wins in 4 Championship starts.
HAMILTON played well enough in Ayrshire to have me checking prices straight away for today's game at home to Dunfermline and punters have to be happy with the general 23/20 given the Pars' poor start to the season. Most read in Football CAST AWAY Shutters down as Rangers kit makers suddenly CLOSE flagship Scottish store FRENCH CONNECTION Celtic 'make offer for Lyon star' who came through PSG academy JOB HUNT Forgotten ex-Rangers flop leaves club just 11 DAYS after signing new contract KAIKED OUT Gers 'have transfer bid rejected' for Brazilian star dubbed the 'new Marquinhos' John Rankin's team played a big part in an excellent match-up with Ayr last weekend and they can bank their first 3 points of the season back on home plastic with James McPake 's visitors struggling for form. FALKIRK look to maintain their 100% start to life in the Championship with a home win over Partick and while the 8/11 is shorter than I'd like against a Partick side which could easily spring back to scoring form, I think the Bairns are well worth including in a Championship treble with AYR and HAMILTON which pays in excess of 11/2.
Fan reckons SPFL ace Lawrence Shankland is ideal Kyogo replacement, but ex-Celtic hero isn't so sure KELTY HEARTS stand out as the best bet in League One at home to Inverness after last week's 3-0 win at Arbroath signaled the end of Jim McIntyre's reign at Gayfield. Michael Tidser's players made cup headlines with their win over HIbs but they're also top of the table after two wins and a draw with a goal difference of 6-1 and they can keep the goals and points coming by beating Duncan Ferguson 's Caley Thistle at 6/4. PETERHEAD justified their place in the top 5 last weekend by beating Stranraer 1-0 at 8/11 and I think they're a bit of League Two value again this week at 9/5 against Premier Sports Cup shock-troops The Spartans.
Player-boss Jason Brown has the Blue Toon top of the table with 3 wins in 3 games and Dougie Samuel's 11/10 home side might just be too short based on their Cup heroics last weekend Saturday SINGLE The jury's still out on Hibs for the time being but DUNDEE have looked good home and away this season so 23/10 looks the value at Easter Road. Weekend ACCA Southampton 29/20 Ayr 17/20 Hamilton 23/20 Kelty Hearts 6/4 Aberdeen 3/4 Four on Saturday and one on Sunday this weekend with all 5 teams taking 3 points paying out at a whopping 41/1. RANGERS V ROSS COUNTY I really thought County would get the job done away to Spartans last week but their League Two opponents were too good and that doesn't augur well for today's trip to Hampden.
Rangers came through a must win Premier Sports Cup tie against St Johnstone after their Champions League exit and those early points dropped at Tynecastle make this another game they have to come out tops in at a general 1/6. 3 14.04.
2024 Ross County v Rangers: James Tavernier and Josh Sims Credit: Willie Vass The 12/1 Staggies have at least drawn their two Premiership matches after scoring plenty in the League Cup group stages but even those nibbling at the 6/1 draw price look optimistic and I'd expect Rangers to win this with their trip to face Celtic looming next Sunday. ST MIRREN V CELTIC Sunday 12 noon Sky Sports Saints looked weary at Tannadice last weekend but that was totally understandable after their European adventures and they'll be back refreshed to host Celtic with no-one expecting a best-priced 9/1 home win. Celtic have lived up to early odds-on expectations with two league wins and Premier Sports Cup progression with Mykola Kuharevich's goal last Sunday the first Celtic have conceded in 3 matches which have yielded 10 goals.
The Paisley visitors are general 1/4 chances with 2/7 in places and I think they'll have too much for a St Mirren side which could at least get on the scoresheet as Hibs did to make the both teams to score bet a player here at 10/11. ABERDEEN V KILMARNOCK Sunday 3pm Jimmy Thelin's 100% record with the Dons remained intact thanks to Topi Keskinen's added-time goal against Queens Park and I'm backing the home side to make it 8 from 8 against a Kilmarnock side looking up against it in Europe after Thursday's 2-0 defeat in Denmark. Derek McInnes will have better chances to beat his old club as the season progresses but Killie are caught between a rock and a hard place here with league points having to be balanced with what's little more than a half-chance of getting past Copenhagen in Ayrshire on Thursday.
Killie are 4/1 with the draw at 13/5 but the Reds have been weaning themselves off the departed Bojan Miovski and can don their Sunday best to keep their winning run going at 3/4. MOTHERWELL V HEARTS Sunday 3pm Hearts seemed to take Falkirk too lightly with all the changes last weekend but the Jambos were much more like it in Czechia midweek with only a late own goal to overcome in Thursday's return against Viktoria Plzen. Read more on the Scottish Sun MORAY MANIA Cops called amid huge queues as fizzy drink re-launch causes chaos MURRAY MAKEOVER Andy Murray hit with fresh warning over renovations at luxury Cromlix hotel That second leg at Tynecastle poses questions about Sunday's game at Fir Park though as Steven Naismith juggled his options at Falkirk ahead f the first leg and now has a genuine chance of Europa League progression 4 days later.
Motherwell got the better of Kilmarnock in extra-time last week and home advantage makes them look value at 9/5 but 7/5 Hearts can't afford to lose more league points after defeat at Dundee and the draw looks the way to go tomorrow at a general 12/5. Our New YouTube Channel Subscribe to our new Scottish Sun Sport YouTube channel for all the latest football news, views and amazing moments. We've got every major development covered from Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and the rest of the Scottish Premiership.
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