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Nick Mc Pheat That's all from us after a long, but thrilling, first day of Scottish football in 2026. Rangers kicked it off with what had at times looked like an unlikely comeback win away to Old Firm rivals Celtic - a result that heaps pressure on manager Wilfried Nancy in Glasgow's east end. Hearts took advantage by edging out bottom side Livingston to stretch their lead at the top of the Premiership to six points. Meanwhile, Motherwell stay fourth by beating St Mirren, Hibs remain fifth after a win away to Kilmarnock, while Dundee won the city derby and Falkirk beat Aberdeen to go sixth. Catch up with the highlights of all six of today's Premiership games on Sportscene on BBC Scotland at 19: 15, repeated on BBC One Scotland at 23: 30. Youssef Chermiti's double at Celtic Park helps heap pressure on Wilfried Nancy FT: Dundee United 0-1 Dundee Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "It's not the result we were hoping for. We get undone by a mistake on our part - it's a situation we have to deal with a lot better. "We should be coming in at half-time frustrated with the performance. Unfortunately, we concede with 10 seconds left of the first period. "Second half, we were by far the better team, but the big criticism is we didn't do enough with the possession. "Credit to Dundee, they defended their box well and Mc Cracken makes a magnificent save. "The magnitude of a game like this, our supporters want bragging rights after the game and that's not the case. We'll dust ourselves down and go again next weekend. " FT: Hearts 1-0 Livingston Hearts head coach Derek Mc Innes tells BBC Scotland: "At 1-0, it's always going to be nervy. "You've got to credit Livingston. As an opposition manager, David threw everything at it. "In the end, the first half we looked like a team that deserved to be top of the league. I thought our keeper was magnificent because we knew there would be a reaction in the second half. "We never quite looked settled enough. We had some moments, but we still looked a bit rushed. Sometimes one goal is enough and it was enough today. "It's a good day's work for Hearts, we should remind ourselves of that. We deserved to win it because we hung in at the end, dug deep and got that clean sheet. " FT: Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "That's as poor a performance as we've put in all season. "I didn't think Motherwell needed to do a whole lot to win the game. They were clinical, they defended when they needed to, we didn't. We didn't do what we're good at, we didn't have a lot of crosses into the box. "We didn't do the simple things well enough and, if you don't do that against an in-form team, you don't deserve to win. "We need desperately to get players in. We've got three big players missing and it affects any team when you've got that level of player missing, especially ourselves. " FT: Falkirk 1-0 Aberdeen Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin tells BBC Scotland: "I won't talk much about the game but more about ourselves. The desire, there's too many individual decisions. "Football is more than technique and systems. It's how you act on the football pitch. It's about responsibility. We've been here before, we've bounced back, but now we're back some steps again. "Even if you don't have the perfect game, it should always feel like we give the fans everything and right now we aren't doing that. That's not good enough. "I'm the manager, I'm responsible, but sometimes the players have to look in the mirror and know what football is about. " FT: Hearts 1-0 Livingston Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "We rode our luck in the first 25 minutes. They worked on overloads down our left hand-side - we couldn't get any pressure on the ball. "Deservedly, we went in 1-0 down. Then second half we were good value for money. "We got pressure on the ball and controlled parts of the game and created good chances. "The boys have got to take a lot of self belief and confidence from that. We didn't pick points up, but Hearts are six clear and league leaders for a reason. "So I'm disappointed we didn't take something, but looking at the performance, there were a lot of positives. " The Livingston boss reiterates he expects two signings in the door by next weekend. Kilmarnock 1-3 Hibernian Hibernian head coach David Gray tells BBC Sportsound: "First half especially, I thought we were really good. If we had taken our chances, maybe we would've made it a little bit more comfortable earlier. "Second half I think was a classic example of us finding a way to win the game, because I don't think we were at our best. "We lost that control that we had in the first half, but we still had big moments in the game and I think, over the piece, deserved to win the game. "[Elie Youan] could've had more [than two goals]. Very good week. " FT: Dundee United 0-1 Dundee Ian Mc Call Former Falkirk manager on BBC Sportsound Dundee had no attacking intent at Motherwell. It's only two or three weeks later, but they look full of confidence. The Dundee United back three didn't know how to handle Ashley Hay. Fair play to Steven Pressley. You can comment on his record, but you can never think he won't be up for a fight. Dundee thoroughly deserved it. FT: Dundee United 0-1 Dundee Dundee head coach Steven Pressley tells BBC Scotland: "It was really difficult to pick out any individual in that performance. "It was an incredible team performance, filled with unity, team spirit and real quality at times. "We knew we would have to endure some difficult moments. We'd have to stand up to the game and do the dirty side well. They did that to exceptional standards. "There were some good opportunities [for more goals], but I'm just pleased we managed to get that result. We're starting to show shoots of recovery. "It was a pivotal game and I couldn't be prouder of the players. "They are an amazing group. It's been a difficult season and they have helped me get out of my bed at times. "Hopefully this is the start of something good. " Kilmarnock 1-3 Hibernian Kilmarnock interim manager Kris Doolan tells BBC Sportsound: "We showed character, first of all, to get back into the game. When you get back to 1-1, we were well on top. "It's so tight, there's small margins between the teams and Hibs are a top side. Top side with a top manager. Losing David Watson [to a red card] doesn't help us. "The difference between the first half and the second half was sheer intensity and willingness to run and press and get after people. "A new manager will come in and make their own mind up. Any manager that comes in is taking on good people. Everybody's trying. "The positivity a fresh manager will bring could be enough just to turn the corner. The players are definitely not far away. They just need that wee nudge along. " David Watson was red-carded after 80 minutes FT: Falkirk 1-0 Aberdeen Falkirk manager John Mc Glynn tells BBC Scotland: "We could have added to the scoreline, we had opportunities to do that. But the win was fully merited. The stats back that up as well. "We've taken 12 points in this round of games, with two left. We set a target of getting to 15, which we got in the first round, so we're within touching distance of that. "We did a lot right. Give Aberdeen some compliments on their defending, they blocked a lot. "We're doing the right things, getting into the right places. If we weren't doing that, I'd be concerned. On another day, we score two or three there. " FT: Motherwell 2-0 St Mirren Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou tells BBC Scotland: "Extremely good, just as good as the one the other day and maybe a little bit better because we've had some trouble with St Mirren, so it was a sweet feeling to get our revenge. "I have to give all the credit to the players out there. They produced a lot of great moments, two beautiful goals and chances for more while we were extremely focused in defence, won a lot of duels and second balls in some critical areas. "We're not just in it to get a sexy win somewhere, lean back and say well done. We're here to have a fantastic season and then, when it's done, we'll have a little break and see if we can do even better next year. "There will probably be people around the country who think we are [in a title race]. It is not the conversation we are having at Motherwell. We are extremely ambitious, we want to see how far we can take it, but right now after 21 games we are in a position few expected. I want us to stay in this position and who knows maybe we can reach out for even more. " FT: Kilmarnock 1-3 Hibernian Kilmarnock are just four points above bottom side Livingston and desperately need to fill their manager vacancy. Interim boss Kris Doolan's chances have not been helped by today's loss to Hibs. They have have failed to win in their last 14 games in the Premiership - their longest winless streak in the competition since at least 2013-2014. FT: Celtic 1-3 Rangers Earlier, Rangers recorded an amazing 3-1 comeback win away to city rivals Celtic that piles increasing pressure on home manager Wilfried Nancy so early in the Frenchman's tenure. Danny Rohl has Rangers heading in the opposite direction since he became head coach. Today was the first time they have won after conceding the first goal, or losing at half-time, in the Premiership this season. Meanwhile, Celtic have lost after leading at half time for the second time in a couple of weeks following their defeat by Dundee United. Scottish League 2 Spartans have stretched their lead at the top of the fourth tier to eight points after their home win over Dumbarton. East Kilbride stay second top despite their game being postponed in Elgin after Clyde were held at home by Forfar. Fourth-top Stranraer also dropped two points after their draw at home to Edinburgh. Scottish League 1 With Inverness having their game postponed, Stenhousemuir took the opportunity to leapfrog their rivals into top spot with a two-goal win over third-top Queen of the South, albeit Caley Thistle have two games in hand. Alloa missed a chance to move above Queens after being held away to bottom side Kelty Hearts. Scottish Premiership St Johnstone remain five points clear at the top of the second tier with a one-goal win over third-top Arbroath. It would have been more had Partick Thistle not come from two goals behind to spoil Ian Murray's debut as Morton head coach. Surely it is now a two-horse race for the title, with Arbroath now seven behind the Glasgow side. Adam Sidibeh scored St Johnstone's winner Scottish Premiership Stay with us for reaction from around the grounds in the top flight. Former Hearts wing-back Allan Preston has just been saying that he thinks the Tynecastle side are definitely in a title race. Do you think Hearts will stay top and win the title? Thumbs up for yes below, thumbs down for no. Scottish Premiership The first Premiership table of 2026 is looking good for Hearts. They were holding on desperately at times against bottom side Livingston, but Rangers' win away to Celtic means Derek Mc Innes' side are six points clear of both Old Firm sides. Scottish League 2 Craig Halkett's goal moved Hearts six points clear At a glance Halkett guides in wonderful header for leaders in dominant first half But vastly improved Livingston denied by Schwolow saves after break Hearts hold on to move six points clear of Celtic and Rangers at top Hearts moved six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a hard-fought victory over bottom side Livingston in a game of contrasting halves at Tynecastle. After Rangers' win over Celtic in the lunchtime kick off, Derek Mc Innes' side had the chance to open daylight between themselves and the Glasgow giants. They looked to grasp it firmly with both hands in the first half as they battered Livingston, managing 15 shots and forcing goalkeeper Jerome Prior into good saves and his defenders into last-ditch blocks. Tomas Magnusson also missed from just a few yards and Claudio Braga had an effort deflected off a post in a flurry of opportunities for Hearts. Craig Halkett was the only player to beat the visiting rearguard, though, as he guided in a cultured header after debutant Jordi Altena curled a superb cross into the box. But after the break Livingston, who are without a win in 18 league games, vastly improved and striker Tete Yengi had three good opportunites saved by goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow. However despite a nervy ending Hearts did enough to bounce back from their derby defeat to open up a buffer in the title race, while Livingston stay four points adrift at the bottom after their eighth defeat by a single goal this season. With Celtic toiling, Rangers building momentum, and a favourable run of fixtures this month, this felt like a must-win game for Hearts. In the first period they played like a team who believe they can be champions as they bossed their struggling opponents off the pitch. New signing Altena created three chances, including a brilliant ball in for Halkett to head in his sixth goal of the season, and looked promising going forward. Fit-again midfielder Beni Baningime strolled the opening 45 minutes as Cammy Devlin put in another towering performance, and Lawrence Shankland floated about causing mayhem. The Scotland striker laid on six opportunities overall, the most he has created in a league game for two-and-a-half years. All of that should have resulted in a comfortable half-time scoreline, but instead Livingston took confidence from still being in the game. They went direct in the second half as Mohamed Sylla started to get into the game, and Yengi was outstanding as he busied himself in the final third. The striker had three efforts in good positions saved by Schwolow, the best of them after turning inside Stuart Findlay in the box. At the end Hearts had to stand up to a strong challenge and a nervousness in their own stadium as Mc Innes brought on more defenders to see out an important win. All that matters is they got it and now have a six point advantage at the league summit again. Hearts head coach Derek Mc Innes: "In the first half we looked like a team that deserved to be top of the league. I thought our keeper was magnificent because we knew there would be a reaction in the second half. "We never quite looked settled enough. We had some moments, but we still looked a bit rushed. Sometimes one goal is enough and it was enough today. " Livingston manager David Martindale: "We rode our luck in the first 25 minutes. They worked on overloads down our left hand-side we couldn't get any pressure on the ball. "Deservedly we went in 1-0 down. Then second half we were good value for money. We got pressure on the ball and controlled parts of the game and created good chances. The boys have got to take a lot of self belief and confidence from that. " Hearts visit in-form Dundee next Sunday (14: 00 GMT) while Livingston are in midweek action on Tuesday as they host St Mirren (19: 45). After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Last Updated 3rd January 2026 at 16: 57 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Derek Mc Innes Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: David Martindale Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Derek Mc Innes Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: David Martindale Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Scottish Premiership All competitions All competitions All competitions Heart of Midlothian have won each of their last four league games against Livingston; only from January 2005 to March 2006 have Hearts ever won five in a row against the Lions in the top-flight. Livingston are winless in their last 14 top-flight away games at Hearts (D6 L8) since a 3-2 victory in May 2002. Hearts have won their first January game in each of the last four years in the Scottish Premiership, keeping a clean sheet in three of those victories. Hearts have won all three of their league games against Livingston (1) and Falkirk (2) so far this season, but haven’t won four successive top-flight matches against newly promoted opponents since November 2000. Livingston have conceded the most goals (39), have the highest x G against (36. 8) and have the fewest clean sheets (1) of any side in the Scottish Premiership this season. Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.