Article body analysed
FT: Kilmarnock 3-2 Dundee Kilmarnock manager Derek Mc Innes tells BBC Scotland that Hearts have not been in touch with the Ayrshire club. "I hear all the speculation but there's been no contact from club to club as far as I'm aware, " he explains. "It's hard for me to say anything other than that. The fact there's been no contact form club to club. "There's been a lot of speculation but we've had far too much to occupy ourselves with. I've been focused on making sure we're alright. "I love this club, it's given me so many highlights and I'm really enjoying days like today. They make it worthwhile. If anything's to change with that it's not in my control. " On today's victory over Dundee, the Killie boss added: "It wasn't straightforward, the heat played a factor but I think the boys worked extremely hard. "The games against Dundee are always dramatic, you're never quite there, but I thought we were worthy winners. "Three goals should always be enough to win a home game, thankfully it was today, but it could have been so much more. Sometimes you're looking to just stick the knife in and get that comfortable victory and at 3-1 we thought we were there but credit to Dundee for fighting back. "The season is maybe finishing at the wrong time for us because we actually look like we're getting stronger. Today was all about wining, it's a real highlight seeing the fans and how much it meant. " FT: Kilmarnock 3-2 Dundee Kilmarnock manager Derek Mc Innes told us earlier he would address the speculation linking him to Hearts. He's just done that. But he's not giving much away. FT: Celtic 3-1 Hibernian Hibs head coach David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "The timing of the goals is against us, that was the killer today. Celtic will always have periods when they dominate and we knew that. "Coming in 2-1 down [at half-time] was a big blow mentally for the players. The goals we lose we have to look at because they were quite soft from our point of view. The second half reaction was positive, but the third goal takes the stuffing out the game. "Everyone knows what's at stake, it's the final push of the season, three games in a week. It's about who's got the mentality and I believe the group is good enough to do it. " Hibs took the lead at Celtic Park but were behind by half-time FT: St Johnstone 2-1 Ross County Ross County manager Don Cowie tells BBC Scotland: "We've got to be concerned, we've got to face the reality in terms of how tight things are now. "Credit to St Johnstone, they get the victory and make things tight. Somehow, despite the run of form we've been on, with two games to go, we've still got an opportunity to get out of the position we're in. "Today has to be a day, for us as a group, to recognise the situation we're in. "There's no hiding place, I'm not going to hide, I take full responsibility for the run of results. It's not good enough but over the next seven days I'll be doing everything I can for this football club and that's what the players need to do. " Ross County captain Connor Randall looks dejected at full time FT: Hearts 3-0 Motherwell Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer tells BBC Scotland: "It was a bad result. The goals were too easy. There were four shots [on target] for Hearts and they scored three times. I don't want to talk about VAR every weekend, it's always the same. I didn't see it [Callum Slattery's disallowed goal] on the television so I don't want to speak about it. What should I say? "We discuss each weekend. Last weekend it was lucky for us and unlucky for Dundee, this weekend it was unlucky for us and lucky for Hearts. "In my opinion if it is a clear decision then why does the VAR take five minutes and then the referee take five minutes? It wasn't clear so the VAR should say no and leave it to the referee. "But it's not necessary to get angry, it's not the reason we lost the game. It was a bad result but I don't think it was a bad performance. "In the last three games we got seven points and secured our league [status] so that's the positive, and the other positive is we have a game on Wednesday, our last home game and we want to win it. " FT: St Johnstone 2-1 Ross County St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari tells BBC Scotland: "We needed to win, we did it, and of course you can see some nervy moments in our game. "I thought we started very well but we let the opponent get back into the match. When we are in those moments it affects you but huge credit to the players for how they worked their way back in, got the second goal, and then how we defended in the end. "The boys gave everything, one moment with VAR it went for us. It's been a long season, sometimes these things go against you. But today was a solid performance, we needed to win and now the fight continues. " FT: Celtic 3-1 Hibernian Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "The performance level overall was excellent. We went one behind, but we were doing so many good things in the game. "We stayed calm. My big message was about building on our recent success because that's what the club is all about. We want to go into [the Scottish Cup final] in a really good way. For that we need to work. "That's why we have success here, because we build on past success and don't settle and accept it. " FT: Celtic 3-1 Hibernian Celtic have scored 106 league goals this season, with two games remaining. That's the same number they managed in Brendan Rodgers' first 'invincibles' season back in 2016-17. Adam Idah (left) and Nicolas Kuhn were on target for Celtic today FT: Hearts 3-0 Motherwell That's five goals in three games for Lawrence Shankland now. The 29-year-old Scotland striker will be a free agent at the end of the season. FT: Hearts 3-0 Motherwell Hearts interim head coach Liam Fox: "We had some good moments in the game and scored three good goals. But also the commitment from the players to working hard in this heat and sticking to the plan was there for all to see. "There's good players in that changing room and I've just tried to simplify it and make it nice and clear and easy for them in and out of possession. The players have been fantastic and all the credit has to go to them. "At this moment in time I'll be back in on Monday and looking forward to St Johnstone at home, will be another tough game. " Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland scored twice at Tynecastle FT: Dundee United 0-2 St Mirren Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "We have no complaints about the end result, I thought St Mirren were the better team on the day. "In these games over the season the first goal has always been vitally important and unfortunately St Mirren got that. We kept going but the longer the game went on I just felt we looked as if we were running out of legs in the middle of the pitch. We caused a lot of our own problems and St Mirren thoroughly deserved their victory. "We knew what was at stake for ourselves today but I think this group of players, having done what we've done off the back of just being promoted, I can't criticise the players too much. "The last three performances haven't been what we want them to be and I sense the frustration from the supporters and rightly so. But sometimes you have to put your hands up and say you were beaten by the better team. " FT: Dundee United 0-2 St Mirren St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "We made harder work of it than we probably needed to. "Some of the football and the chances that we missed, if we'd had the final product, it could have been four or five. "We stood up to it when we came under pressure. I'm delighted with the scoreline and delighted with the three points. "We've got a squad that don't know when they're beaten, they get through hard times together. I believe it's the highest points tally [for St Mirren] in modern history in the Premiership and the players deserve all the credit for that. " FT: Celtic 3-1 Hibernian Sean Mc Ardle only got a few minutes at the end but it looks like the 17-year-old enjoyed his Celtic debut. It's so hard for young players to break through at the champions but he can take inspiration from Callum Mc Gregor, James Forrest and Anthony Ralston, who have all made that journey. One game to come on Sunday, with Rangers at home to Aberdeen. Here's how the Scottish Premiership looks. FT: St Johnstone 2-1 Ross County St Johnstone visit Hearts on Wednesday then finish up at home to Dundee. Ross County are away to Dundee then home to Motherwell. FT: St Johnstone 2-1 Ross County Martin Dowden BBC Sport Scotland at Mc Diarmid Park As the dust settles on a day of incredible drama, St Johnstone will have belief they can avoid automatic relegation. They seemed doomed but got the result they needed to stay alive, now three points behind Ross County with two games remaining. For County, it's now a real concern. Seven straight defeats is terrible form at a time like this. With the Perth side now within touching distance, they are in deep trouble unless they find a win. Scottish Championship play-offs Airdrieonians 2-1 Stenhousemuir (5-2) Cove Rangers 2-1 Queen of the South (2-1) Scottish League 1 play-offs Annan Athletic 1-2 Elgin City (5-4) East Fife 3-0 Edinburgh City (3-1) Scottish League 2 play-off final, first leg East Kilbride 3-1 Bonnyrigg Rose Kilmarnock hold off Dundee's late fightback to secure victory and their Scottish Premiership status for next season. Danny Armstrong's penalty gave Kilmarnock the lead before the break, but Lyall Cameron's first goal levelled the score. Two headers, scored by Bruce Anderson and Robbie Deas, looked to have finished the game but Cameron struck again - this time a stunner from the edge of the box - to set up a tense finale. Having achieved safety, Rugby Park boss Derek Mc Innes is expected to address the speculation linking him to the vacant post at Hearts. Kilmarnock 3-2 Dundee We're almost at 100 minutes at Rugby Park. Everyone is up for Dundee. Lawrence Shankland continues his late-season resurgence as his double helps Hearts to a comfortable win. He got the first before the break with a low drive from the edge of the box, and the second was a lovely glancing header. Alan Forrest scored the third on the rebound after Yan Dhanda's shot was spilled at his feet. Motherwell were competitive in the first half, and Callum Slattery's goal briefly pulled them level, before VAR intervened to ruled it out for offside against Dan Casey. After that, though, it was mostly Hearts on the front foot. Hearts leapfrog Motherwell into seventh place. Mikael Mandron opened the scoring for St Mirren in the first half Dundee United missed the opportunity to secure a European spot for next season as in-form St Mirren boosted their own hopes with a Scottish Premiership victory at Tannadice. Stephen Robinson's side moved within two points of the Tangerines in fifth thanks to goals from Mikael Mandron and Jonah Ayunga. Both sides carved out opportunities in the first 45 minutes but it was Mandron who broke the deadlock on the half hour, drilling into the bottom corner after a well-worked move involving Killian Phillips, Ayunga and Ryan Alebiosu. After ending the half a goal down, the hosts started the second period on the front foot and Sam Dalby had an early chance when he latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the St Mirren box but the striker fired wide. And poor defending cost United as Ayunga doubled the deficit. Roland Idowu threaded the ball through for the forward, who picked up in acres of space and danced his way into the box before firing beyond Jack Walton. Had United won, they would have been guaranteed at least a fifth-place Premiership finish and European football. But poor defending, coupled with a lack of cutting edge at the top end of the pitch, consigned them to another post-split defeat. Ayunga was able to pick up the ball in space inside United's penalty area under little pressure to help the Buddies on their way to their first goal, and the winger was left in acres of space when he grabbed St Mirren's second. In fact, Ayunga had the ball in the net for a third goal for the visitors but he was marginally offside in the build-up. United's top scorer Dalby had numerous chances, particularly in the second half, but couldn't direct any of them on target. As a result, Jim Goodwin's side have set themselves up for a fight to secure European football in their final two games. That's now four Premiership games unbeaten for Stephen Robinson's side, who are making things difficult for the other teams in the top six and forging their own path in a bid to sneak a European spot. The front two of Mandron and Ayunga caused so many problems for United's backline while the defensive strength of Richard Taylor and Alex Gogic made it a relatively comfortable afternoon for Zach Hemming between the sticks. Besides a brief spell at the start of the second half where United carved out some good opportunities, the Buddies never really looked troubled at the back. The victory leaves them two points adrift of fifth place with two games to play, but with a visit from Hibs and a trip to Celtic to come, it's certainly not going to be easy. Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We have no complaints about the end result, I thought St Mirren were the better team on the day. "In these games over the season the first goal has always been vitally important and unfortunately St Mirren got that. " St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "We've got a squad that don't know when they're beaten, they get through hard times together. "We made harder work of it than we probably needed to. Some of the football and the chances that we missed, if we'd had the final product, it could have been four or five. " Last Updated 10th May 2025 at 17: 05 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Jim Goodwin Formation: 3 - 4 - 3 Manager: Stephen Robinson Formation: 3 - 5 - 2 Manager: Jim Goodwin Formation: 3 - 4 - 3 Manager: Stephen Robinson Formation: 3 - 5 - 2 Scottish Premiership All competitions All competitions All competitions Dundee United have won all three of their league games against St. Mirren this season; the last side the Tangerines won four times against in a single top-flight campaign were Aberdeen in 1998-99. St. Mirren have only lost one of their last five away league games at Dundee United (W3 D1), although that was their most recent in November this season (0-2). Dundee United have lost both of their last two league games by an aggregate score of 8-1, and could lose three in a row for only the second time this season, having last done so in February. St. Mirren have only suffered one defeat in their last six league games (W3 D2), although that was their last away game at Dundee in April (0-2). Mikaël Mandron has scored four goals in his last three away league starts for St. Mirren, while 83% of his Scottish Premiership goals this season have come on the road (5/6), the highest ratio of any of the 41 players with 5+ goals in the competition this term. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.