Alfred Johansson, Martin O'Neill, Derek McInnes and Wouter Vrancken lead sides who finished in the top four last season.

It has been a tough start to the season for last term's big three in the Scottish Premiership. Reigning champions Celtic stole a march on runners-up Heart of Midlothian and city rivals Rangers considering they won on the opening weekend, albeit by a single goal against a visiting Dundee side many are predicting will be in a relegation battle come the end of the season.

But then came the news on Wednesday that veteran manager Martin O'Neill was in hospital after undergoing what they said was "a small procedure". On the field of play, Hearts suffered a 6-1 humiliation away to Benfica - their fourth defeat in a row already this season - while Rangers followed up their 1-1 draw away to Dundee United by also losing in the Europa League qualifiers, 2-1 away to Jagiellonia Bialystok.

Already it is looking like the Scottish title might be won again by the best of a bad bunch, but what can we look forward to this weekend?

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Dundee head coach Steven Pressley got a bit of stick for playing down his side's chances not only at Celtic Park on Monday but in the league overall. However, that did not prevent them giving a good account of themselves against the champions and they head into Saturday's game against Aberdeen having won their latest five home games - including three in the top flight.

Having failed to beat the Dons in their previous 33 meetings, they have also won the latest two between the sides. In saying that, they will be wary of a Dons side who have scored at least twice against them in each of their latest seven league meetings. It is also an Aberdeen side that have been improving since Stephen Robinson took charge and, after their opening defeat of Hearts, have won four of their latest Premiership games, with only Celtic having won more points since April.

Two other sides who started with a win - St Mirren and promoted St Johnstone - meet in Paisley, where the visiting Saints will be looking to start a Premiership season with two victories for the first time since 2017.

Kevin Nisbet (centre) helped Aberdeen get off to a flyer. Sunday navel gazing after a bruising midweek in Europe is becoming all too familiar for Scottish football, but this time Motherwell and Hibernian can look forward to second legs with some real hopes of progress, albeit in the third-tier Conference League qualifiers.

The Lanarkshire side will hope to finish off the job after a 1-1 draw away to HJK Helskini as they continue to earn plaudits for the style of play adopted last season by Jens Berthel Askou and adapted by new manager Alfred Johansson. However, they will have to improve first on their record against Falkirk, who have won on their latest three visits to Fir Park and have not lost to Well in six meetings.

Since a 1-0 win over Well at Falkirk Stadium in May, though, John McGlynn's side have lost four in a row in the Premiership. Hibs' 2-1 win over North Macedonians Shkendija was a bit of a struggle, but at least it was better than their opening defeat at home to Well.

Now they travel to Glasgow looking to become the first-ever side to win in consecutive league games at Ibrox after winning 2-1 there in May. Indeed, Hibs have won on two of their last three league visits and another would heap more pressure on new Rangers manager Derek McInnes after Thursday's defeat in Poland.

That will be especially so should Celtic, who could be without O'Neill despite the manager being released from hospital, secure a ninth win in a row over Kilmarnock and a ninth league win in a row overall to create a healthy early lead over their title rivals.

The odds of that must be good considering the Ayrshire side, who lost their opener to St Johnstone, have failed to win their first two top-flight games in 12 of the previous 15 seasons. Similarly, Hearts cannot afford a third consecutive league defeat - having lost last season's decider against Celtic then their opener with Aberdeen - if they are to mount a similar challenge to the one under McInnes last term.

They have not won on Dundee United's last three visits to Tynecastle and further questions will be asked of new head coach Wouter Vrancken if they suffer a fifth straight defeat. The Belgian's side have lost 14 goals in those four games and will not be helped by centre-half Stuart Findlay's suspension, but United have themselves not kept a clean sheet in 17 away games in the Premiership and have kept the fewest away clean sheets of any side since the start of last season.

It could be a goal fest at Tynecastle.

Nicolas Raskin made his return from World Cup duty as a substitute for Rangers in Poland and he and fellow defensive midfielder Cammy Devlin made such a big difference after the break that both will be pushing for starts against Hibs.

Slightly further forward, though, Thelo Aasgaard remains an enigma - the Norway international having scored in his last three Rangers appearances but leaving McInnes frustrated with moments that are either laziness or misplaced arrogance.

Findlay Curtis must also be pushing for a start after the 20-year-old impressed as a substitute for new wing signing Daisuke Yokota. Rangers are in dire need of someone like Sweden midfielder Benjamin Nygren, who scored Celtic's winner against Dundee. No player has scored more than his 17 goals - or six winners - in the Premiership since the beginning of last season.

Kevin Nisbet is also off to a flyer with a goal and assist in Aberdeen's win over Hearts and the Scotland striker will be relishing Saturday's visit to Dens Park, where he has scored his latest three away league goals.

Motherwell midfielder Lukas Fadinger has scored three goals in his latest five Premiership appearances, while St Mirren counterpart Killian Phillips' two goals against Falkirk added fuel to reports that he is being courted by clubs in Major League Soccer.

Meanwhile, former Hibs trainee Jamie Gullan marked his return to the Premiership with two assists and the forward also had more shots, chances created and touches in the opposition box than any St Johnstone player in their 4-3 win over Kilmarnock.