Motherwell v Rangers, O'Neill & Nygren in focus

A busy Wednesday lies ahead as Scotland's top-flight sides return to Premiership action after the Scottish Cup's last-16 weekend.

Heart of Midlothian's late winner in their derby at home to Hibernian on Tuesday means Rangers head to Motherwell six points behind the long-time leaders.

Meanwhile, reigning champions Celtic, three points further back but with two games in hand, will be confident of keeping the pressure on as they host bottom side Livingston.

Here are some of the key things to watch out for on Wednesday.

The two form teams meet at Fir Park in one of the most anticipated games of recent months.

Especially so given the pressure is back on visitors Rangers after Hearts got back to winning ways after last week's defeat by St Mirren before visiting Ibrox in yet another crucial game on Sunday.

Danny Rohl's side head down the M8 having taken 16 points from their latest six unbeaten league games - and having fired eight goals past Queen's Park in the cup on Sunday.

Meanwhile, their fourth-top hosts have taken 13 points, losing just once, over the same run of games as they continue to earn plaudits under Jens Berthel Askou for their free-flowing, passing style.

Well had their cup game against Aberdeen washed out by the weekend downpour and should be nicely rested as they look to continue a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions since they lost 1-0 to Tuesday's visitors at Ibrox in December.

For Rangers, it is one defeat - away to Porto in the Europa League - in 12 outings, winning 10 of them, recording victories in seven of their eight league games since that win over Well.

All despite Rohl admitting his side are still a work in progress since he took charge in October and the German may choose to reshuffle his side again as he continues to blend in his January signings.

Having drawn 1-1 at Fir Park on their last trip there in August, Rangers are now unbeaten in their past 16 visits since a 3-0 defeat in their Premiership play-off second leg in May 2015.

Ten of those have been victories, but to make it another, they will have to end their hosts' impressive record of having recorded nine successive home clean sheets since a 2-1 defeat by Falkirk in October.

Seven of those have been victories, including the latest five, and another clean sheet will mean they will become only the second side after Celtic, who have achieved the feat twice, to secure nine in succession in the league in the 21st century.

Another win would take them to within five points of the second-top visitors and would certainly have their fans dreaming of a top-three finish, if not more.

Benjamin Nygren has scored in each of Celtic's past four league games as the Sweden winger continues to be the reigning champions' biggest success of this season's transfer acquisitions.

Japan forward Daizen Maeda was the last Celtic player to achieve that in March, but the 24-year-old signed from Nordsjaelland is the first to do so in his debut campaign since Scott Sinclair in 2016.

The English winger went on to score in six successive games and Nygren must be confident of continuing his own streak considering they are hosting a Livingston side on Wednesday against whom he has already found the net four times in two outings – his most against any side in the division.

Celtic Park is not the place where Livingston, six points adrift of Kilmarnock at the bottom and winless in 23 league games since August - the longest run of any side in the top flight in the 21st century - will be expected to earn their first points since Marvin Bartley was promoted to head coach with David Martindale moving upstairs.

Especially when opposition boss Martin O'Neill will be marking his 200th league game in charge of the Glasgow side - the sixth to reach that milestone.

The Northern Irishman has already reached it with more wins than anyone else - his 164 being 10 better than Neil Lennon achieved - and Celtic will be strong favourites to add to that on Wednesday.

Celtic remain unbeaten in eight games since the 73-year-old, already a club legend, was put in interim charge for a second spell this season, this time until the summer, after Wilfried Nancy's dismal short reign.

Six of those have been victories - four of them at home - and although they remain nine points behind leaders Hearts, Celtic now have two games in hand.

O'Neill's side are involved in a three-horse race for the title, with improving city rivals Rangers now ahead in second.

However, while still looking vulnerable at the back, Celtic look to have resolved the missing link up front.

January signings Tomas Cvancara, the Czech Republic striker on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach, and Austria's Junior Adamu, on loan from Freiburg, have already hit the goal trail.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho is close to a return from injury and their latest arrival, former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, also adds to their firepower.

The old never-say-die Celtic attitude was also back on display on Saturday as Adamu's stoppage-time equaliser denied Dundee a famous cup victory in Glasgow.

O'Neill will therefore be expected to mark that 200th game in charge in style against a side against whom they are unbeaten in 22 home games, winning 19 of them, and having won the latest 10 by an aggregate of 30-6 since a 0-0 stalemate in October 2021.